MN SF1123

Commissioner of public safety shall establish a lifesaver grant program to assist local law enforcement agencies in developing rapid response programs to locate lost or wandering vulnerable senior citizens and individuals with autism, Down Syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, or other conditions causing wandering.

County law enforcement agencies or combinations thereof may apply for grants up to $4,000 to develop new programs or up to $2,000 to expand existing programs, with applications including estimated participants, start-up costs, personnel availability, and local funding sources.

Grant funds may only be used to purchase emergency response kits including tracking equipment, transmitters, receivers, and related technology, and to train search personnel; recipients must manage ongoing operating costs after initial development or expansion.

A lifesaver grant program account is established in state treasury to receive contributions from private sources and state appropriations, with unexpended funds carried forward rather than reverting to the general fund.

Commissioner must adopt rules establishing annual application deadlines, reporting procedures for search and rescue statistics, and program implementation guidelines, and must report to legislature by January 15, 2018 on program coordination and administration.