HB 2729 Summary

• Establishes a five-year pilot program within the Department of Public Safety requiring social workers to accompany public safety officers to respond to incidents involving disorderly conduct and other offenses when substance addiction, mental illness, homelessness, or other catastrophic afflictions are indicated.

• Participation in the program is optional for detained individuals, who may choose to follow the social worker's recommendations in lieu of arrest or citation if deemed appropriate.

• Department of Public Safety must inform the Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Public Defender, county prosecuting attorneys, Department of Human Services, criminal justice bar members, and homeless service providers of the program's existence.

• Requires interim reports to the legislature prior to 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 regular sessions, with a final report by 2025 including efficacy, costs, and a recommendation on whether to make the program permanent.

• Appropriates funds for the pilot program and creates five full-time equivalent (5.0 FTE) public safety social worker positions within the Department of Public Safety, effective July 1, 2020.