<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gps" article_name="Public Safety" number="4-1702" title_number="4" title_name="Law Enforcement Funds and Grant Programs" subtitle_number="17" subtitle_name="Maryland Entertainment District Security Grant Program">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Entertainment district” means a one–half square mile area in the State in which  one of the following  is present:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a high density of establishments licensed to serve alcoholic beverages for on–site consumption;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a high density of establishments that are hookah bars; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a high density of establishments that regularly host live entertainment for their patrons or members of the public.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Executive Director” means the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is a Maryland Entertainment District Security Grant Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The purpose of the Program is to assist community organizations, nonprofit entities, and local governments to fund security operations during times of high pedestrian traffic in entertainment districts from which a higher than average number of calls for police assistance in response to reported crime are placed.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Executive Director shall establish:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>an application process for community organizations and nonprofit entities located in entertainment districts, and local governments with entertainment districts located within the jurisdiction, to apply for grant funding from the Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>eligibility criteria for selecting recipients for grant funding from the Program; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>minimum criteria for an entertainment district for the purpose of determining eligibility for grant funding from the Program, including:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the density of establishments licensed to serve alcohol for on–site consumption, hookah bars, or establishments that regularly host live entertainment for their patrons or members of the public;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the amount of pedestrian traffic; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the number of calls for police assistance in response to reported crimes.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
