AB 2062: Local law enforcement hiring grants.

(a)The Board of State and Community Corrections shall establish a grant program to provide fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) in grant funds to incentivize peace officers to work in local law enforcement agencies that are in underserved communities and to live in the communities that they are serving.

(b)Grant funds may be used to increase the salary of a peace officer who meets the following criteria:

(1)Works in a police or sheriffs department that is in an underserved community that has had a homicide rate higher than the state average for the past five years or more.

(2)Lives within a five mile radius of the primary police department or sheriffs office in which they work.

(3)Is either of the following:

(A)A peace officer licensed on or after January 1, 2023.

(B)A peace officer licensed prior to January 1, 2023, who transfers, on or after January 1, 2023, to an agency in an underserved community from an agency that is not in an underserved community.

(c)Funds granted pursuant to this chapter shall be used to supplement, not supplant, local law enforcement funding.

(d)Grant funds shall be used to increase a peace officers salary for five years. The grant need not be applied in the same amount for all five years, but it may only be used for a peace officers salary.

(a)The local law enforcement agencies granted funds pursuant to Section 13910 shall report all of the following to the board annually, as determined by the board:

(1)The name and officer identification number of the peace officer whose salary is being supplemented with the grant funds.

(2)Verification that the officer meets the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 13910.

(3)The amount of the grant funding being used to supplement that officers salary in each of the grant years.

(4)If the peace officer who was the recipient of the grant funding in the prior year is no longer employed by the recipient agency, then verification that the employing agency is using the remaining grant funds for a similar salary enhancement for another peace officer that meets the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 13910.

(b)(1)If, at the time the annual report is due, the law enforcement agency has grant funds that are not being used because of a vacancy, the agency shall include in the report a hiring plan to fill the vacancy with a peace officer who will be eligible to receive the grant funds.

(2)A law enforcement agency submitting a hiring plan pursuant to paragraph (1) shall submit an update to the board six months after the hiring plan is submitted stating whether they have hired a peace officer who is eligible to receive the funds.

(3)If a recipient law enforcement agency has grant funds that are not being used for a period of one year, the board may reassess the grant and, if the agency no longer qualifies for the grant, if the agency is not using the grant, or if the grant is not achieving the desired results, may require the return of the remaining unencumbered grant moneys. Returned grant moneys shall be reallocated to other law enforcement agency applicants or returned to the General Fund.

(a)On or before July 1, 2028, the board shall report to the Legislature and the Governors office on the efficacy of the grant program, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1)How many law enforcement agencies were granted funds under this chapter.

(2)How many peace officers received increased salaries with those funds.

(3)The efficacy of the grant program in hiring and retaining peace officers in agencies in underserved communities.

(b)A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

This chapter shall be implemented only to the extent that funds are appropriated for this purpose in the annual Budget Act.

This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.