State Police budget goes to House Committee on Appropriations

State Rep. Aaron Miller has announced passage of a budget to fund State Police operations by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State Police.
Miller, chairman of the subcommittee, said the panel reported a $612 million budget to fund the law-enforcement agency.
Miller said the plan ensures the continuation of vital public-safety programs that have resulted in lowering crime rates in recent years.
He said the committee has to make a major reduction and, as a result, put a planned motor-carrier school on the back burner.
Included in the budget are a $7.7 million General Fund allotment for a trooper school, with a goal of graduating 75 new troopers in 2016; and a $1.7 million General Fund expenditure for hiring laboratory staff to support a new law mandating the collection, submission and timely testing of all criminal sexual-assault kits.
The budget now goes to the full House Committee on Appropriations for consideration.