Florida Senate - 2023                                    SB 1140
       
       
        
       By Senator Ingoglia
       
       
       
       
       
       11-00657C-23                                          20231140__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Rapid DNA Grant Program;
    3         creating s. 943.324, F.S.; creating the Rapid DNA
    4         Grant Program within the Department of Law Enforcement
    5         for county jails or sheriffs’ offices; requiring the
    6         department to annually award grant funds to county
    7         jails or sheriffs’ offices; providing funding
    8         requirements; authorizing the department to establish
    9         criteria and set specific time periods for the
   10         acceptance of applications and the selection process
   11         for awarding grant funds; providing an appropriation;
   12         providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 943.324, Florida Statutes, is created to
   17  read:
   18         943.324 Rapid DNA Grant Program for county jails or
   19  sheriffs’ offices.—
   20         (1) There is created within the department the Rapid DNA
   21  Grant Program to award grants to county jails or sheriffs’
   22  offices to support local law enforcement agencies in the
   23  processing and expediting of DNA samples as defined in, and in
   24  support of the statewide DNA database under, s. 943.325.
   25         (2) The department shall annually award to county jails or
   26  sheriffs’ offices funds received from the Federal Government and
   27  any funds specifically appropriated for the grant program to
   28  cover all expenses, including for the purchasing of DNA testing
   29  machines and other necessary supplies. Grants must be provided
   30  to county jails or sheriffs’ offices if funds are appropriated
   31  for that purpose by law. The total amount of grants awarded may
   32  not exceed funding appropriated for the grant program.
   33         (3) The department may establish criteria and set specific
   34  time periods for the acceptance of applications and for the
   35  selection process for awarding grant funds.
   36         Section 2. For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the sum of
   37  $200,000 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General
   38  Revenue Fund to the Department of Law Enforcement for the
   39  purpose of implementing the Rapid DNA Grant Program under s.
   40  943.324, Florida Statutes.
   41         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.