SCHOOL SAFETY HOTLINE                                                                                                                                                     S.B. 1200:

                                                                                                                                                                SUMMARY OF DISCHARGED BILL

Senate Bill 1200 (as discharged)

Sponsor: Senator Tom Barrett

Committee: Appropriations (discharged)

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Student Safety Act to require the Department of State Police (MSP), instead of the Department of the Attorney General (AG), in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, to establish a program (popularly known as "OK2SAY") for receiving reports and other information concerning incidents and potential incidents related to schools, primarily through a school safety hotline.

Under the current OK2SAY program, the MSP operates a 24-hour school safety hotline and receives information, while the AG role has been an administrative one, including outreach and public relations functions and the preparation of an annual report.[1] The bill would transfer those duties to the MSP. The enacted fiscal year (FY) 2020-21 budgets for the departments reflect the transfer of duties.

The bill also would eliminate any references to vendors in the Act.

MCL 752.912-752.918                                                                                                                                                                                            

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill's proposed transfer of certain duties from the AG to the MSP likely would result in some efficiency savings. In FY 2019-20, the AG had an appropriation of $1,481,000 Gross, $1,011,400 General Fund/General Purpose (GF/GP) for the administrative portion of the OK2SAY program, and for FY 2020-21, the administrative cost for the program under the MSP is appropriated at $906,000 Gross, $434,000 GF/GP. The savings are thought to be made possible because of the existing presence of hotline operations and the Office of School Safety within the MSP.

Date Completed:   12-3-20                                                                                                       Fiscal Analyst:   Bruce Baker

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.