House sets up tax checkoff to fund soft body armor for police K-9s

The Utah House on Feb. 17 approved House Bill 177 to create a voluntary checkoff on state income-tax forms that directs donations into a restricted account to buy soft body armor for law-enforcement K-9s.

Representative Greenwood, sponsor of the bill, described a January 2010 incident in Midvale in which a patrol K-9 was killed while apprehending a suspect and said the proposal responds to constituent concern about protecting service animals. "As the dog was chasing down the suspect, the suspect pulled out a weapon and shot and killed the dog," Greenwood told the chamber when explaining the bill's origins.

Under the bill donors check a box on tax forms and contributions are deposited in a restricted account managed by the Department of Public Safety. Local agencies with K-9s may apply for grants to buy soft armor, with typical awards up to $3,000 per department per year; agencies must submit an invoice for the vest cost and if awarded funds are unspent after 90 days they must be returned to the account. The bill also includes a sunset provision that dissolves the account if it receives less than $30,000 in each of three consecutive years.

Greenwood said the application process will be simple and that funds are to be spent only on soft body armor, not vehicles, training, or purchase of animals. The House passed the bill 67–2; it will be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.

What happens next: if enacted, the Department of Public Safety will oversee the restricted account and accept applications from local agencies; the bill sets application and reporting parameters.