AB852: Bill Text

LRB-5222/1

MIM:cdc

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Assembly BILL 852

December 22, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives Donovan, C. Anderson, Armstrong, Bare, Behnke, Brandtjen, Conley, Dittrich, Edming, Emerson, Goeben, Gundrum, Jacobson, S. Johnson, Kitchens, Krug, Maxey, Melotik, Mursau, Nedweski, Novak, O'Connor, Ohnstad, Ortiz-Velez, Petryk, Ratcliff, Rettinger, Shankland, Spiros and Tusler, cosponsored by Senators James, Pfaff, Nass, Smith and Spreitzer. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

AB852,1,3 An Act to create 16.23 and 20.505 (1) (bm) of the statutes; relating to: small law enforcement agency training grant pilot program, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Administration to establish and administer a pilot program for grants for payment of training costs for new law enforcement officers at small law enforcement agencies. Under the bill, “small law enforcement agency” means a police department, tribal police department, combined protective services department, or sheriff's office that employs fewer than 25 full-time equivalent law enforcement officers who are not supervisors. The grants may be used to pay for training a preservice student who is enrolled in a program to become a law enforcement officer or tribal law enforcement officer and to pay for employment costs during the first six months of employment of such an officer. Also under the bill, if a small law enforcement agency has received reimbursement for training a preservice student or recruit from the Law Enforcement Standards Board, the agency may not also receive a grant under the program that duplicates the amounts reimbursed. The bill requires any individual whose training or recruitment period of six months is paid for under the pilot program to commit to remain with the employing small law enforcement agency for one year after the training or service paid for with the grant has ended. If such an individual does not complete 12 months of employment, the department may seek from the individual repayment of the grant on a prorated basis. Under the bill, DOA must administer the pilot program until the appropriation for the program is fully depleted.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB852,1 Section 1. 16.23 of the statutes is created to read:

AB852,2,3 16.23 Small law enforcement agency training pilot program. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB852,2,4 (a) “Preservice student” has the meaning given in s. 165.85 (2) (e).

AB852,2,5 (b) “Recruit” has the meaning given in s. 165.85 (2) (f).

AB852,2,9 (c) “Small law enforcement agency” means a police department, tribal police department, combined protective services department under s. 60.553, 61.66, or 62.13 (2e), or sheriff's office that employs 25 or fewer full-time equivalent law enforcement officers or tribal law enforcement officers who are not supervisors.

AB852,2,12 (2) Administration. The department shall establish and administer a pilot program to provide training grants to small law enforcement agencies. The program shall provide for all of the following:

AB852,2,16 (a) A small law enforcement agency may apply for a grant if the agency has been notified that any law enforcement officer it employs will be retiring or leaving the agency within 6 months, or the agency has a 20 percent or higher vacancy rate in its authorized law enforcement officer positions.

AB852,2,17 (b) The grant application shall be on a form created by the department.

AB852,2,18 (c) The grant shall be used to pay costs for the following:

AB852,2,21 1. Preparatory training under s. 165.85 (4) (a) 1., for a preservice student who will be employed by the small law enforcement agency after completion of the training.

AB852,3,3 2. Compensation and costs related to employment of a recruit whose preparatory training costs were paid by the grant, for up to 6 months of on-the-job training.

AB852,3,9 (d) A preservice student or recruit whose training or service as a recruit is paid for with a grant under this section shall commit to working for the small law enforcement agency that received the grant for one year after the training or service paid for with the grant has ended. If such an individual does not work for one year at the small law enforcement agency, the department may seek from the individual repayment of the grant on a prorated basis.

AB852,3,13 (e) A small law enforcement agency that receives a grant under this section is not required to include a recruit whose training costs were paid by the grant, in any required maintenance of effort for law enforcement officer staffing for 6 months after the recruit completes training.

AB852,3,18 (f) If a small law enforcement agency has received reimbursement for training a preservice student or recruit from the law enforcement standards board under s. 165.85 (5) (b), the agency may not also receive a grant under the program that duplicates the amounts reimbursed, but may receive a grant that is the difference between the amount reimbursed and the actual costs the agency incurred.

AB852,3,20 (g) A list, maintained by the department, of small law enforcement agencies in this state.

AB852,3,25 (h) If the department receives a grant application from a small law enforcement agency on the list in par. (g), and money is available from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (bm), the department shall, within one week of receiving the application, distribute sufficient moneys to pay for training under par. (c) 1. or 2. while the application is being reviewed by the department.

AB852,4,2 (i) If an application under par. (b) is approved, the department shall distribute the grant money as soon as practicable after approving the application.

AB852,4,5 (j) If an application under par. (b) is denied, and the department distributed money under par. (h), the department shall seek reimbursement from the small law enforcement agency that received the money.

AB852,4,8 (k) The pilot program terminates 18 months after all moneys from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (bm) have been disbursed, and the department shall continue to make reasonable efforts to seek repayment under par. (d).

AB852,4,10 (3) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules for the administration of the small law enforcement agency training grant program.

AB852,2 Section 2. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

AB852,3 Section 3. 20.505 (1) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB852,4,16 20.505 (1) (bm) Small law enforcement agency training grants. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule to provide training grants to small law enforcement agencies under s. 16.23 (2).

AB852,4,17 (End)