INTRODUCED
BY S. Stewart Peregoy
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE MISSING PERSONS RESPONSE TEAM training GRANT PROGRAM; creating the missing persons response team training grant program account; PROVIDING A fund transfer and aN APPROPRIATION; and PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
NEW SECTION. Section 1. Missing persons response team training grant program -- reporting. (1) There is a missing persons response team training grant program administered by the department of justice. The purpose of the grant program is to help fund training opportunities for community-based missing persons response teams.
(2) Eligible teams may be multiagency and multijurisdictional and may include other community entities and volunteers. Eligible teams shall:
(a) establish memorandums of understanding between the involved entities;
(b) develop operational procedures and criteria under which a team activation can occur; and
(c) participate in a community action planning effort conducted in accordance with department guidelines.
(3) Eligible training expenses include but are not limited to the licensing costs of a training program, facilitator and conference location fees, and travel expenses for training staff and trainees.
(4) The department shall report, in accordance with 5-11-210, on the grants awarded pursuant to this section to the state-tribal relations committee provided for in 5-5-229 by July 1 prior to each regular legislative session.
NEW SECTION. Section 2. Missing persons response team training grant account. (1) There is a missing persons response team training grant account in the state special revenue fund established in 17-2-102. The account is administered by the department of justice.
(2) Money transferred from any lawful source, including but not limited to gifts, grants, donations, securities, and other assets, public or private, may be deposited in the account.
(3) Money deposited in the account must be used pursuant to [section 1].
(4) Up to 10% of the funds deposited in the missing persons response team training grant account each year may be used for administrative costs by the department.
(5) Interest and income earned on the account and any unspent or unencumbered money in the account at the end of a fiscal year must remain in the account.
NEW SECTION. Section 3. Transfer of funds. By July 15, 2021, the state treasurer shall transfer $61,000 from the state general fund to the missing persons response team training grant account established in [section 2].
NEW SECTION. Section 4. Appropriation. For the biennium beginning July 1, 2021, there is appropriated $61,000 from the missing persons response team training grant account established in [section 2] to the department of justice for the purposes described in [section 1].
NEW SECTION. Section 5. Notification to tribal governments. The secretary of state shall send a copy of [this act] to each federally recognized tribal government in Montana.
NEW SECTION. Section 6. Codification instruction. [Sections 1 and 2] are intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 44, chapter 2, part 4, and the provisions of Title 44, chapter 2, part 4, apply to [sections 1 and 2].
NEW SECTION. Section 7. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2021.