Relates to the department of correction and community supervision's role with respect to discharge planning to assist incarcerated individuals in obtaining housing before release to community supervision.
Establishes the shovel-ready housing program under which certain municipalities, at their option, may pre-authorize parcels of property for the construction of housing; establishes a shovel-ready community tax rebate for taxpayers residing in municipalities that opt-in to the shovel-ready housing program; provides for annual apportionment to municipalities that have certified participation in the shovel-ready housing program.
Authorizes localities to provide for an additional real property tax exemption for senior citizens who meet the income eligibility limits and other criteria to the extent of sixty-five percent of the assessed valuation of such real property.
Authorizes the department of transportation to establish and implement a state memorial sign program to memorialize persons who died due to injuries sustained in a fatal motor vehicle crash on state highways.
Requires railroad corporations to conduct a comprehensive safety inspection when a freight train is parked in a train yard prior to traveling on tracks within the state including, but not be limited to, a review of tracks, safety equipment, including brakes, and train cars.
Includes contacts via text, email, private message, direct message or other electronic communication in the definition of the offense of aggravated harassment in the second degree.
Enacts the "pretrial risk overview for threat evaluation, custody, and treatment (PROTECT) Act" to evaluate certain defendants; establishes a risk assessment instrument to aid judges in determining whether to release or detain a principal, where and when a release is appropriate and necessary conditions that should be imposed as part of such release; repeals provisions of law relating to qualifying offenses and allows a court to set bail or remand a principal where based on the risk assessment instrument, where the principal poses a safety risk or risk of flight; makes related provisions.
Extends tuition free course benefits to volunteer firefighters or voluntary ambulance workers; authorizes the board of trustees of the state university to regulate the conferral of such benefits.
Requires the department of health to publish a report on the incidence of tick-borne illnesses annually on the department's website; requires the department to submit an annual report to the governor and the leaders of the legislature; requires the superintendent of financial services to review the status of health insurance coverage for the treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne related diseases and to submit a report to the governor and the leaders of the legislature.
Relates to defining "critical violations" of applicable statutes and regulations by child care providers licensed or registered by the office of children and family services; the imposition of sanctions and penalties for such violations by the office of children and family services; and processes for administrative appeal of such sanctions and penalties.
Provides that the "Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Flag" shall be the official state flag for the raising of awareness of veteran suicide; directs the commissioner of general services to establish a protocol for the flying of such flag.