S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8240
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
November 6, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JONES, BUTTENSCHON -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to law enforcement offi-
cer and firefighter grant funds
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the "public safety investment act".
§ 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 844 to read
as follows:
§ 844. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER GRANT FUNDS. 1. WITHIN AMOUNTS APPRO-
PRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSE, IN THE YEARS TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, TWO
THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE AND TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, ONE HUNDRED FIFTY
MILLION DOLLARS SHALL BE AVAILABLE AND ALLOCATED EACH YEAR PURSUANT TO
SUBDIVISIONS TWO AND THREE OF THIS SECTION AND SHALL BE PAID TO COVER
ALL EXPENSES RELATED TO HIRING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, INCLUDING ANY
BENEFITS PROVIDED TO SUCH OFFICERS THROUGH EMPLOYMENT WITH THEIR RESPEC-
TIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
2. ONE HUNDRED TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THE
FUNDS ALLOCATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE
AVAILABLE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF HIRING NEW
POLICE OFFICERS OR REHIRING POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE BEEN LAID OFF,
HIRING MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO SERVE AS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
IN CRIME PREVENTION, AND SUPPORTING NON-HIRING INITIATIVES, SUCH AS
TRAINING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN CRIME PREVENTION, COMMUNITY POLIC-
ING TECHNIQUES, AND DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT CRIME
PREVENTION STRATEGIES. ELIGIBLE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SHALL BE
ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO NINETY PERCENT OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH
HIRING OR NON-HIRING INITIATIVES; PROVIDED, HOWEVER THAT SUCH LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SHALL COMMIT TO EMPLOYING SUCH OFFICERS FOR AT
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13393-02-3
A. 8240 2
LEAST FIVE YEARS, RETAINING SUCH OFFICERS FOR AT LEAST TWO ADDITIONAL
YEARS AFTER THE THREE YEARS OF GRANT FUNDING EXPIRES.
3. THIRTY-SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THE FUNDS
ALLOCATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE AVAILABLE
TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FOR THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS
FIREARMS, RIOT GEAR, AND PROTECTIVE VESTS; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH
GRANT FUNDS SHALL NOT BE EXPENDED ON THE PURCHASE OR MAINTENANCE OF
POLICE CRUISERS OR OTHER VEHICLES USED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
4. THE COMMISSIONER, IN COOPERATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF STATE POLICE, SHALL ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND
THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE GRANTS PROVIDED FOR PURSUANT TO THIS
SECTION. GRANT INFORMATION AND APPLICATION FORMS SHALL BE MADE AVAIL-
ABLE THROUGH THE NEW YORK STATE GRANTS GATEWAY.
§ 3. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 158-a to
read as follows:
§ 158-A. FIREFIGHTER GRANT FUNDS. 1. WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR
SUCH PURPOSE, IN THE YEARS TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
TY-FIVE AND TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, ONE HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS
SHALL BE AVAILABLE AND ALLOCATED EACH YEAR PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISIONS TWO
AND THREE OF THIS SECTION AND SHALL BE PAID TO COVER ALL EXPENSES
RELATED TO HIRING FIREFIGHTERS, INCLUDING ANY BENEFITS PROVIDED TO SUCH
FIREFIGHTERS THROUGH EMPLOYMENT WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
2. ONE HUNDRED TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THE
FUNDS ALLOCATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE
AVAILABLE TO FIRE DEPARTMENTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT.
3. THIRTY-SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THE FUNDS
ALLOCATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE AVAILABLE
TO FIRE DEPARTMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF HIRING NEW FIREFIGHTERS OR REHIR-
ING FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE BEEN LAID OFF AND SUPPORTING NON-HIRING INITI-
ATIVES, SUCH AS TRAINING FIREFIGHTERS IN FIRE PREVENTION AND DEVELOPING
TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT FIREFIGHTING STRATEGIES. ELIGIBLE FIRE DEPART-
MENTS SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO NINETY PERCENT OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED
WITH SUCH HIRING OR NON-HIRING INITIATIVES; PROVIDED, HOWEVER THAT SUCH
FIRE DEPARTMENTS SHALL COMMIT TO EMPLOYING SUCH FIREFIGHTERS FOR AT
LEAST FIVE YEARS, RETAINING SUCH FIREFIGHTERS FOR AT LEAST TWO ADDI-
TIONAL YEARS AFTER THE THREE YEARS OF GRANT FUNDING EXPIRES.
4. THE STATE FIRE ADMINISTRATOR SHALL ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE GRANTS PROVIDED FOR PURSUANT TO THIS
SECTION. GRANT INFORMATION AND APPLICATION FORMS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE
THROUGH THE NEW YORK STATE GRANTS GATEWAY.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.