HB 23-1223

House Bill 23-1223 establishes a task force aimed at reducing youth violence, suicide, and delinquency risk factors by prioritizing grant funding for communities most affected. The task force will identify three target areas with the highest rates of these issues and develop guidelines to help both government agencies and community organizations use grants more effectively starting in 2025. This bill has been signed into law and is now effective, meaning the task force can begin its work immediately to address these critical youth-related problems.

Official Summary

The act creates a task force (task force) to establish shared goals, objectives, and guidelines for entities to utilize in prioritizing new and existing grant money to achieve maximum impact to reduce youth violence, suicide, and delinquency risk factors. The task force shall identify 3 target communities with the highest rates of youth violence, suicide, and delinquency risk factors. Beginning July 1, 2025, the task force shall create shared goals, objectives, and guidelines for governmental and community-based organizations to prioritize the use of new and existing state grant money, as well as help community-based organizations reduce youth violence, suicide, and delinquency risk factors in the target communities by using the shared goals, objectives, and guidelines when working in intervention, prevention, and tracking statistics. Membership in the task force is outlined. The task force shall make a preliminary "SMART Act" report in January 2024 followed by a final report in January 2025. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, $92,447 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of public health and environment for use by the prevention services division. The division may use this appropriation for the grant prioritization task force related to administration. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2023 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2023(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Votes