SB 5184-S - DIGEST

(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)

Finds that state hospitals provide benefits to local communities but also impose a financial burden on the cities and towns responsible for providing law enforcement services to those state hospitals.

Declares an intent to establish a process whereby cities and towns can enter into law enforcement contracts with the department of social and health services to partially defray the jurisdiction's law enforcement costs associated with providing these services.

Provides that, when a state hospital is located within the corporate limits of a city or town that has recurring law enforcement costs associated with responding to actions of residents of the state hospital, at the request of the city or town the department shall contract with the city or town to pay an equitable share for law enforcement services.

States that the department may not agree to reimburse the city or town for more than one-half of the cost for law enforcement services provided by the city or town, as determined in the contract. Reimbursement shall be limited to funds available.