Authority: §§ 27-56, 33.1-292, 52-1, 52-4, 52-4.3, 52-8, 52-8.1, 52-8.2, and 56-334, Code of Virginia.

A. The Department shall provide a report on the utilization and performance of the positions provided in this and previous biennia for violent crime strike forces and for the state/local anticrime partnership to the Governor and Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees by October 1 of each year.

B. Included in this appropriation is $589,687 the first year and $589,687 the second year from Commonwealth Transportation Funds for the personal and associated nonpersonal services costs for eight positions. These positions will be dedicated to the I-95/395/495 Interchange Improvement Project. Commonwealth Transportation Funds to support these positions will remain available only until the completion of this project. This appropriation will be funded as part of State Highway Project No. 0095-029-F20 and Federal Project No. NH-95-2(410).

C. Included in this appropriation is $816,538 $333,674 the first year and $852,040 $414,768 the second year from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund for the increase of operating hours of 10 weigh stations. This funding is to support 28 17 positions, all of which shall be Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers, that will be required to extend hours of operation at these support operations at weigh stations to 24 hours per day, 7 days per week statewide . The Department of Planning and Budget shall allot these funds on the basis of a plan submitted by the Department of State Police regarding operating hours of weigh stations statewide.

D. The Department of State Police shall modify the implementation of the division of drug law enforcement established pursuant to Chapter 600 of the Acts of Assembly of 2000, and shall redirect, as may be necessary, resources heretofore provided for that purpose by the General Assembly for the purposes of homeland security, the gathering of intelligence on terrorist activities, the preparation for response to a terrorist attack and any other activity determined by the Governor to be crucial to strengthening the preparedness of the Commonwealth against the threat of natural disasters and emergencies. Nothing in this item shall be construed to prohibit the Department of State Police from performing drug law enforcement or investigation as otherwise provided for by the Code of Virginia.

E. Included in this appropriation is $6,117,540 the first year and $4,728,740 the second year from Section 402, Federal Highway Funds for the Department of State Police. The following actions shall be contingent upon federal approval. Within this total, an estimated $4,300,000 the first year and $2,911,200 the second year shall be used to hire, equip and provide basic training for 50 state troopers. These troopers shall focus on preventive patrol and enforcement of Virginia's laws concerning impaired driving, including alcohol enforcement and aggressive driving. In addition, an estimated $1,300,000 each year from these funds shall be used to provide needed in-vehicle computer equipment to gather statistics on alcohol enforcement and impaired driving in the Commonwealth. Finally, an estimated $517,540 each year from these funds shall be used to pay overtime for state troopers.Included in this appropriation is $5,475,872 the first year and $5,475,872 the second year from Section 154 and Section 164 Federal Highway Funds. The Secretary of Transportation, with the assistance of the Secretary of Public Safety, the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Superintendent of the Department of State Police, shall develop a plan for DUI-related enforcement and education programs to be supported with these funds and shall complete an Application for Highway Safety Project Grant to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The plan may include DUI-related enforcement pass-through grants to local law enforcement agencies. The Secretary of Transportation shall provide a copy of this plan, the grant application and the response from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees as soon as they are available.

F. Included within this appropriation is $1,045,375 the first year from the Rescue Squad Assistance Fund to support the Department’s aviation (med-flight) operations. The Department of State Police shall determine the feasibility of recovering costs for its med-flight operations through Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers. The Department shall examine the feasibility of second-party billing through hospitals receiving patients or through the creation of an independent billing authority.

G. The Department shall prepare a report on options for updating the State Trooper staffing formula. Copies of the report shall be provided to the Governor and the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees by September 15, 2003.

H. Included in this item is $1,500,000 to improve retention rates among state police officers. The Superintendent of State Police, in cooperation with the Director of the Department of Human Resource Management, shall prepare options for increasing the retention rates of state police officers. The Superintendent shall prepare and present a report on such options to the Secretary of Public Safety by June 1, 2003, for consideration by the Governor. Funding provided in this Item, along with any savings identified within the Department, may be used to implement options approved by the Governor. Prior to such implementation, the Secretary of Public Safety shall communicate the retention plan to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees.

I. The Department shall deposit to the general fund an amount estimated at $100,000 in the second year resulting from fees generated by additional criminal background checks of local job applicants and prospective licensees collected pursuant to the passage of House Bill 2373.