Sec. 97.
(1) For 2021-2022, from the state school aid fund money appropriated under section 11, there is allocated an amount not to exceed $7,500,000.00 and from the general fund money appropriated under section 11, there is allocated an amount not to exceed $2,500,000.00 for competitive grants to public schools, nonpublic schools, districts, and intermediate districts to purchase technology equipment, upgrade hardening measures, or conduct school building safety assessments to improve the safety and security of school buildings, pupils or students, and school staff with the goal of creating a safer school environment through equipment and technology enhancements. The department of state police, grants and community services division, shall administer the grant program described in this subsection. All grants under this subsection must be funded on a reimbursement-only basis. Grants under this subsection must not exceed $50,000.00 for each public school or nonpublic school and $250,000.00 for each district or intermediate district.
(2) All of the following apply to the application process for funding under subsection (1):
(a) To receive funding under subsection (1), a public school, nonpublic school, district, or intermediate district shall submit an application for funding under subsection (1) directly to the department of state police, grants and community services division.
(b) An application from a district or intermediate district under this subsection must be for 1 or more buildings that have some or all of pre-K to grade 12 classrooms and pupils.
(c) An applicant may submit only 1 application.
(d) An individual public school may submit its own application but must not also be included in its district's application if the district submits an application under this subsection.
(e) The department of state police shall award grants to applicants based on eligibility, the project description, and whether the project reflects the highest security need of the applicant within grant funding constraints, the budget narrative, the budget, project goals, objectives, and performance measures.
(f) The department of state police shall give priority to all of the following applicants:
(i) Applicants seeking funding for projects that involve multiple agencies working in partnership.
(ii) Applicants seeking funding for proposals that seek to secure exterior access points of school buildings.
(iii) Applicants that did not receive a school safety grant in the past.
(iv) Applicants that did not receive a grant under section 1001 of article XX of 2018 PA 207 or under section 115 of 2018 PA 618.
(g) To be awarded a grant, an applicant must demonstrate proof that the public school, nonpublic school, district, or intermediate district has an emergency operation plan that was updated after August 1, 2017 to align with the state emergency operations plan guidance and statewide school safety information policy developed under section 1308 of the revised school code, MCL 380.1308.
(h) The department of state police shall issue grant guidance and application materials, including required performance measures, not later than February 1, 2022.
(3) The department of state police shall not award funding under subsection (1) to a public school, nonpublic school, district, or intermediate district in relation to the same school building more than once. If a district submits an application under subsection (2) relating to a school building and a public school within that district also submits an application for funding in relation to that same school building, the department of state police shall not allocate funding under subsection (1) twice for that school building. If a public school, nonpublic school, district, or intermediate district submits more than 1 application, the department of state police shall first consider the most recent application submitted in considering funding under subsection (1).
(4) Eligible expenses for reimbursement under subsection (1) must be consistent with the recommendations of the school safety task force created by Executive Order No. 2018-5. The department of state police shall list the eligible expenses in the grant guidance and application materials described under subsection (2). The following items are not eligible expenses for which grant funds under subsection (1) may be applied:
(a) Weapons, including tasers.
(b) Personal body armor for routine use.
(c) Construction of new facilities.
(d) Costs in applying for the grant, such as consultants and grant writers.
(e) Expenses incurred before the date of the award or after the end of the performance period of the grant award.
(f) Personnel costs or operation costs related to a capital improvement.
(g) Indirect costs or indirect administrative expenses.
(h) Travel.
(i) Contributions or donations.
(j) Management or administrative training and conferences, except as otherwise preapproved by the department of state police.
(k) Management studies or research and development.
(l) Memberships and dues, except for a specific requirement of the project that has been preapproved by the department of state police.
(m) Vehicles, watercraft, or aircraft, including unmanned or remotely piloted aircraft and vehicles.
(n) Service contracts and training beyond the performance period of the grant award.
(o) Food, refreshments, and snacks.
(5) A grantee under section 1001 of article XX of 2018 PA 207 that is a public school, nonpublic school, district, or intermediate district or a grantee under section 115 of 2018 PA 618 that is a public school, nonpublic school, district, or intermediate district is not prohibited from applying for, and receiving, a grant award under this section.
(6) The department of state police shall begin issuing awards for grants under subsection (1) not later than May 1, 2022. A project that is awarded a grant under this section must be completed by July 1, 2023.
(7) The department of state police shall report on grant activities under this section, including available performance outcomes as identified in individual grant agreements, to the senate and house appropriations subcommittees on state police, the senate and house fiscal agencies, and the state budget office by August 1, 2023.
(8) The funds allocated for school safety grants under this section for 2021-2022 are a work project appropriation, and any unexpended funds for 2021-2022 do not lapse to the state school aid fund or general fund and are carried forward into 2022-2023. The purpose of the work project is to continue promoting safer school environments. The estimated completion date of the work project is July 1, 2023.
(9) The department of state police shall ensure that a grant to a nonpublic school under this section is funded from the general fund money allocated under this section.
History: Add. 2021, Act 48, Eff. Oct. 1, 2021
Compiler's Notes: The repealed section pertained to competitive grants to improve the safety and security of school buildings, pupils, and staff.Former MCL 388.1697, which pertained to competitive grants to improve the safety and security of school buildings, pupils, and staff was repealed by Act 146 of 2020, Imd. Eff. July 31, 2020.