Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1190
       
       
        
       By Senator Ingoglia
       
       
       
       
       
       11-01285-24                                           20241190__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Online Sting Operations Grant
    3         Program; creating s. 943.0411, F.S.; creating the
    4         Online Sting Operations Grant Program within the
    5         Department of Law Enforcement to support local law
    6         enforcement agencies in creating certain sting
    7         operations to protect children; requiring the
    8         department to annually award grant funds to local law
    9         enforcement agencies; providing funding requirements;
   10         authorizing the department to establish criteria and
   11         set specific time periods for the acceptance of
   12         applications and the selection process for awarding
   13         grant funds; providing an effective date.
   14          
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Section 943.0411, Florida Statutes, is created
   18  to read:
   19         943.0411 Online Sting Operations Grant Program for local
   20  law enforcement agencies to protect children.—
   21         (1) There is created within the department the Online Sting
   22  Operations Grant Program to award grants to local law
   23  enforcement agencies to support their creation of sting
   24  operations to target individuals online preying upon children or
   25  attempting to do so.
   26         (2) The department shall annually award to local law
   27  enforcement agencies any funds specifically appropriated for the
   28  grant program to cover expenses related to computers,
   29  electronics, software, and other related necessary supplies.
   30  Grants must be provided to local law enforcement agencies if
   31  funds are appropriated for that purpose by law. The total amount
   32  of grants awarded may not exceed funding appropriated for the
   33  grant program.
   34         (3) The department may establish criteria and set specific
   35  time periods for the acceptance of applications and for the
   36  selection process for awarding grant funds.
   37         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.