SB 23-277

Senate Bill 23-277 extends several public safety grant programs in Colorado that were set to expire soon. These include the Crime Prevention Through Safer Streets program, which helps prevent crime; the Law Enforcement Workforce Recruitment and Retention program, which supports law enforcement agencies with training and recruitment efforts; and the State's Mission for Assistance in Recruitment and Training Policing (SMART) program, which aims to increase diversity within police forces. The bill also extends a behavioral health information and data-sharing program until December 30, 2024. This extension means that these programs will continue to receive funding and support from the state, helping local communities with crime prevention, law enforcement training, and mental health services. The bill was signed into law on June 7, 2023, and is now in effect.

Official Summary

The crime prevention through safer streets grant program (safer streets program) exists within the department of public safety (DPS) and repeals on November 1, 2023. The act extends the safer streets program, extends reporting requirements, and extends the DPS's authority to use the appropriation received in the 2022-23 state fiscal year to pay for the safer streets program until the appropriation is fully expended. Two additional grant programs exist within DPS: A law enforcement workforce recruitment, retention, and tuition grant program (workforce program) to award grants to law enforcement agencies to address workforce shortages, improve training to P.O.S.T.-certified peace officers, and improve relationships between law enforcement and impacted communities; and A state's mission for assistance in recruitment and training policing grant program (SMART program) to award grants to law enforcement agencies to increase the number of P.O.S.T.-certified and non-certified officers who are representative of the communities they serve and to provide training for those additional law enforcement officers. The act extends the workforce program and the SMART program and their reporting requirements, specifies additional permissible uses for the workforce program and SMART program grant awards, permits DPS to set workforce program and SMART program deadlines, and permits DPS to provide technical support to workforce program and SMART program applicants. The behavioral health information and data-sharing program (information program) exists within the DPS and repeals on June 30, 2024. The act extends the information program and the DPS's authority to use the appropriation until December 30, 2024. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2023 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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