Department of Public Safety outlines budget priorities: DNA-lab shortfall, vape disposal and CAD-to-CAD dispatch link
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Summary
DPS told the subcommittee its public-safety operations rely on a $432 million budget and highlighted several funding needs: a DNA-collection fee shortfall (about $800,000), hazardous-vape disposal costs (inventory of ~56,000 cartridges), and a CAD-to-CAD statewide dispatch linking project (RFA: $720,000 one-time / $148,000 ongoing).
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, and Joe Brown, DPS finance manager, presented the department's budget and several priority requests to the Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee.
Mason said DPS's total operating budget is about $432 million, funding roughly 1,482 FTEs and hundreds of vehicles across highway patrol, state crime lab, emergency management, driver license operations and more. He described several funding concerns that drove specific requests.
Crime lab and DNA fee shortfall: Mason explained that a $125 fee assessed on qualifying offenders is inconsistently collected (collection rate ~17%), and federal grants that previously offset lab costs have declined. "We anticipate being about $800,000 short this year," Mason said. DPS requested roughly $500,000 one-time this year and a similar amount next year to avoid a deficit while better collection mechanisms or alternate funding are pursued. Mason highlighted the lab's operational importance, noting "Every year, we have 469 hits in CODIS... that's over 1 hit every single day." The department warned collection will never cover all costs because some offenders are indigent and cannot pay.
Air Bureau and service funding swaps: The Air Bureau operates three helicopters and conducts roughly 1,000 missions per year. Mason said ongoing funding of $1.67 million is needed to maintain crews and aircraft. LFA analyst Gary Sipes suggested possible funding swaps (transient room tax or other restricted accounts) or pursuing federal reimbursement for missions in national parks as alternatives to general-fund support; Senator Ipsen questioned the practicality of billing federal partners, citing prior unpaid invoices.
Illicit-vape disposal: Mason said DPS currently stores about 56,000 seized illicit cartridges; DEQ considers state-held nicotine cartridges hazardous waste because of nicotine plus lithium batteries, requiring incineration at a qualified facility at roughly $5 per cartridge (about $180,000 to clear existing inventory). DPS requested $275,001 one-time to clear the warehouse and $165,000 ongoing to cover annual disposal (estimated 30,000 cartridges/year). Committee members asked whether fees on sellers or industry could offset costs; Mason said DPS plans to tap an existing restricted account (the "ecigarette nicotine proceeds restricted account") and said a separate licensing-fee bill is being explored.
CAD-to-CAD dispatch link: Senator Harper and Captain Chris Newland (Communications Bureau) presented an RFA to finish a CAD-to-CAD statewide project that links public-safety answering points, reducing 9-1-1 call transfers by as much as 66% where installed. The ask was stated as $720,000 one-time with $148,000 ongoing to maintain licensing and software for additional rural PSAP links.
Other requests: Mason also described requests for restricted-land purchase detection technology (HB 430 implementation), a $5 million shift to the driver license restricted account to avoid shortfalls, a proposed $40 impound-fee increase to restore DUI overtime shifts, and fire marshal items (hazardous-foam disposal, plans-examiner position, training trailers). DPS reminded the committee that the $125 offender fee will move to the fee schedule and committee approval will be required.
No final appropriation votes on the listed requests were recorded during this hearing; DPS indicated it would provide formal responses or updated numbers as needed and expected further committee review.
