House Bill 824

AN ACT TO CREATE A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY TO BE KNOWN AS THE "MISSISSIPPI STATEWIDE CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVE FUND;" TO PROVIDE THAT ALL FUNDS RECEIVED BY ANY STATE ENTITY FROM THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE'S EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE SPECIAL FUND; TO PROVIDE THAT THE MONIES IN THIS FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED, UPON APPROPRIATION BY THE LEGISLATURE, ONLY ON EVIDENCE-BASED CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS, DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS, INDIGENT DEFENSE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PROGRAMS; TO PROVIDE THAT IN MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE FUND, THE LEGISLATURE SHALL CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE; TO PROVIDE THAT CIRCUIT COURT CLERKS SHALL FORWARD REPORTS OF INDIVIDUALS BEING HELD FOR TRIAL, GRAND JURY ACTION OR EXTRADITION, SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MISSISSIPPI RULES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, RULE 8.5(C), TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND THE OFFICE OF STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) All funds received by any state entity from the United States Bureau of Justice Assistance's Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program shall be deposited into a special fund that is created in the State Treasury to be known as the "Mississippi Statewide Crime Prevention Initiative Fund." The monies in the fund shall be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only on evidence-based crime prevention programs, drug treatment programs, indigent defense and community corrections programs.

(2) In making appropriations from the fund, the Legislature shall consider the recommendations of an advisory committee composed of one (1) representative designated by each of the following entities: Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, Office of State Public Defender, Department of Education, Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police and Mississippi Sheriffs' Association.

(3) Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned from the investment of monies in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.

SECTION 2. Circuit court clerks shall forward reports of individuals being held for trial, grand jury action or extradition, submitted in accordance with the Mississippi Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 8.5(c), to the Administrative Office of Courts, the Attorney General, and the Office of State Public Defender.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.