Senate Bill 847 Summary

• Appropriates $200,000 to hire two full-time grant writers in the Department of Justice to assist law enforcement agencies with grant applications, effective July 1, 2024.

• Provides $300,000 in grants to law enforcement agencies for community policing initiatives and mental health officer funding, effective July 1, 2024.

• Allocates $750,000 in grants to law enforcement agencies for rewarding exemplary officer performance and meeting racial or gender diversity benchmarks, with individual grants capped at $15,000.

• Establishes that strangulation techniques restricting oxygen or blood flow constitute deadly force, requires officers to use minimum necessary force and attempt de-escalation, and directs the Attorney General to develop uniform use of force policies for all state law enforcement agencies by December 1, 2024.

• Sets minimum age of 21 for law enforcement officers and requires mental health psychological screenings within one year before certification for entry-level positions and annual mental health screenings thereafter, with $1,000,000 appropriated for screening costs, effective January 1, 2025.

• Provides $2,000,000 in grants to law enforcement agencies for investigative officer positions to investigate Class D felonies and higher, effective July 1, 2024.