AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN URBAN VIOLENCE REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2007) (a) As used in this section:

(1) "Grant" means an urban violence reduction grant;

(2) "Eligible agency" means a nonprofit agency authorized by a municipality to apply for and administer a grant on behalf of such municipality; and

(3) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management.

(b) There is established an urban violence reduction grant program for the purpose of reducing urban youth violence by providing grants for programs and services for youth in Connecticut's urban centers. The program shall be administered by the Office of Policy and Management.

(c) The secretary shall, within available appropriations, award grants under the program based on competitive proposals submitted and evaluated as provided in this section, except that, within available appropriations and subject to the requirements of subsection (g) of this section, the cities of Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven shall each receive, annually, a grant of seven hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, the cities of New London and Waterbury shall each receive, annually, a grant of four hundred seventy-five thousand dollars and the city of Stamford shall receive, annually, a grant of two hundred thousand dollars. Such grants may be made to a municipality or to one or more eligible agencies acting on behalf of a municipality. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount of the grant payable to each municipality in accordance with this section shall be reduced proportionately in the event that the total amount payable in grants to all municipalities under this section exceeds the amount appropriated for such grants for such year.

(d) Grants made under this section shall be used to provide eligible programs and services for youth between twelve and eighteen years of age. Such programs and services shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Mentoring; (2) tutoring and enrichment activities; (3) social and cultural activities; (4) athletic and recreational opportunities; and (5) training in problem-solving, decision-making, conflict resolution, peer counseling and similar topics designed to reduce youth violence. Grant recipients shall provide for parental and youth involvement, on an ongoing basis, in the planning and operation of such programs.

(e) The Office of Policy and Management shall publish a notice of grant availability and solicit competitive proposals under the program for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, and each fiscal year thereafter. Municipalities and eligible agencies acting on behalf of a municipality may file a grant application with the Office of Policy and Management on such forms and at such times as the secretary prescribes. Applications filed by eligible agencies acting on behalf of a municipality shall include the endorsement of the chief elected official of such municipality.

(f) The Office of Policy and Management shall review all grant applications received under the program and determine which grant applications shall be funded and at what funding levels. Criteria for such determinations shall be established by the secretary and included in the notice of grant availability.

(g) The cities of Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, New London, Stamford and Waterbury shall annually submit to the Office of Policy and Management a plan for the use of the grants made pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, and such plan shall be subject to the approval of the secretary. The plan shall be in such form, and contain such information, as the secretary shall prescribe. No grant shall be made to any such city pursuant to subsection (c) of this section unless such city has an approved plan for the fiscal year for which the grant is being made.

(h) The secretary may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54 of the general statutes, to carry out the provisions of this section.