Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor.

The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act establishes the Medal of Valor Review Board that recommends candidates to the Attorney General for the Medal of Valor from among the applications received by the board. Existing law prohibits the board from meeting more than once each year or from recommending any more than 5 candidates to the Attorney General. The act authorizes the Attorney General to increase the number of candidates in a given year in extraordinary cases. The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act authorizes the Governor to annually award and present in the name of the State of California a Medal of Valor to one public safety officer, as defined, who is cited by the Attorney General, upon the recommendation of the board, for extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty. In exceptional circumstances, the Governor is authorized to award more than one Medal of Valor in a year. The Medal of Valor is the highest state award for valor awarded to a public safety officer. This bill would remove the limit on the number of candidates that the board may recommend. The bill would also eliminate the provisions that prohibit the board from meeting more than once a year. The bill would also authorize the Governor to award and present the Medal of Valor to one or more public safety officers, as specified. The bill would specifically provide that the costs incurred by members and witnesses shall not be paid by the state, and would prohibit the board from holding hearings or having witnesses if donated funds are not available.