2011 General Assembly Update: Budget Conference Report
February 28, 2011 | VACP
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These are the public safety amendments to the 2011-2012 state budget as passed by the Virginia General Assembly:
599 Aid to Local Police Departments: This amendment provides $12,400,000 in additional funds (increasing the 599 funds for 2012 from $160 million to $172.4 million) the second year from the general fund for state aid to localities with police departments, pursuant to House Bill 599 of the 1979 General Assembly. It is intended that all eligible localities receive the same percentage reduction in their allocations for fiscal year 2012 compared to their allocations for fiscal year 2011.
Proposed City of Allegheny Highlands: This amendment provides that the new City of Alleghany Highlands, if approved by voter referendum, will receive an allocation of state aid to localities with police departments, in an amount equal to the funds that would have otherwise been provided to the City of Covington, net of any additional funds which may be provided to the Sheriff of the new city by the Compensation Board. The referendum on the merger of Covington and Alleghany County is expected to be held before the end of calendar year 2011.
Additional Funding for Sheriff’s Offices: This amendment provides additional general fund support of $6.0 million in the second year for sheriffs. The funding is equally divided between two programs -- Financial Assistance for Local Law Enforcement and Financial Assistance for Local Court Services. The introduced budget developed by Governor Kaine reduced funding for the Local Law Enforcement and Local Court Services programs and offset the general fund reduction with a public safety fee based on a tax on insurance premiums. This public safety fee was rejected by the 2010 General Assembly. While additional general fund support was provided to offset nearly all reductions for the sheriffs, the Compensation Board did not discover that the public safety fund had been eliminated and built the public safety fund amounts in their prospective budgets for sheriffs.
Sheriff’s Reporting Mandate Eliminated: This amendment eliminates a mandate that sheriffs and regional jail administrators submit monthly reports to the Department of Corrections on the numbers of contract or federal prisoners held in their jails. This requirement is no longer necessary and the same information is collected automatically through the Local Inmate Data System. This amendment is contingent upon final passage of House Bill 2435 by the 2011 General Assembly.
Reduction in Jail Per Diems: This amendment reduces by $1.3 million the funding for jail per diems provided in the introduced budget to reflect the fact that the population of local-responsible offenders housed in local and regional jails has decreased.
Overtime for State Police: This amendment provides $2,988,795 from the general fund the second year to pay overtime to state troopers in lieu of compensatory leave. Funding overtime allows the deployment of more troopers to patrol Virginia's highways.
VSP Development of International Information Exchange Program: This amendment provides general fund support for the database administration costs associated with the creation of an information exchange program by the Secretary of Public Safety with those states bordering Canada and Mexico to learn more about transnational gangs, the illegal production or distribution of drugs, firearms, or explosives, and terrorist activities. This amendment carries out the intent of House Bill 2330, which was passed by the 2011 General Assembly.
Reduction in Funding for Regional Criminal Justice Academies: This amendment reduces by $31,694 the general fund support for regional criminal justice training academies. Currently there are 10 regional criminal justice training academies, so this reduction equals slightly more than $3,000 per academy. In recent years, a number of localities have withdrawn from these regional academies. This was a strategy proposed by the agency as part of its response to the 2, 4, and 6 percent budget reductions.
Hampton Criminal Justice Academy: The Board of Criminal Justice Services may approve a new criminal justice academy for the City of Hampton, to be supported with local funds, consistent with the memorandum of understanding dated January 5, 2011, by and between the City of Hampton and the Hampton Roads Criminal Justice Training Academy." This amendment permits the Board of Criminal Justice Services to authorize a new criminal justice training academy for the City of Hampton. No state funds are to be provided for the operation of this new academy.
Criminal Justice Academy System Study: The Department of Criminal Justice Services, with the assistance of the Department of Planning and Budget and the Auditor of Public Accounts, shall prepare an analysis of the current and projected financial operations and the financial outlook for the regional law enforcement training academies. Copies of this analysis shall be presented to the Secretary of Public Safety and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees by September 15, 2011. This amendment directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to analyze the current and projected financial condition of the regional law enforcement training academies.
DCJS law enforcement training mandates: This amendment directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to utilize such federal funds as may be available, up to $100,000, to develop and deliver a training program for law enforcement officers on in-person and photo lineups, consistent with the recommendations of the Virginia State Crime Commission. A separate amendment directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to utilize such federal funds as may be available, up to $75,000, to develop and deliver a training program for law enforcement officers to enhance the driving skills necessary for high-speed driving and pursuits, consistent with the recommendations of the Virginia State Crime Commission.
School Resource Officer grants: This amendment eliminates $470,141 in general fund support for school resource officer grants. Presently, only 21 localities receive general fund support for school resource officer grants. All of the grants expire at the end of fiscal year 2011. This amendment does not affect the general fund support for the school resource officer training provided by the Department of Criminal Justice Services.
