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104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2675

To establish a grant program to install safety devices and improve safety

at convenience stores.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 20, 1995

Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts introduced the following bill; which was

referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To establish a grant program to install safety devices and

improve safety at convenience stores.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mom and Pop Protec5 tion Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. PROGRAM AUTHORITY.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General may pro8 vide grants to States to establish a loan program for con9 venience store owners to install security devices and im10 prove safety in convenience stores.
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1 (b) PAYMENT AND INTEREST RATE.—The State

2 shall determine a repayment schedule of not more than

3 5 years and an interest rate not to exceed 3 percent for

4 convenience store owners to cover administrative expenses

5 for the State.

6 SEC. 3. STATE APPLICATION.

7 To receive a grant under this Act, the chief executive

8 officer of a State shall submit an application, at such time,

9 in such manner and form as the Attorney General may

10 prescribe that includes an assurance from the chief execu11 tive officer that the State shall develop a process of certifi12 cation and review to ensure that funds received under this

13 Act are used only for the purpose of installing safety de14 vices in convenience stores.

15 SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY FOR LOANS.

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a loan

17 from a State, a convenience store owner shall submit an

18 application to the State which includes—

19 (1) an assurance that security devices pur20 chased from funds received under this Act shall be

21 used to install security devices not later than 30

22 days after receipt of such funds;

23 (2) if practicable, an assurance that each such

24 store owner will maintain an unobstructed view of
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1 the cash register from the exterior of the store, re2 moving any material that obstructs such view; and

3 (3) an assurance from each owner that such

4 owner will repay a loan from the State in not less

5 than 5 years.

6 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a loan

7 from a State, a convenience store shall meet the following

8 qualifications:

9 (1) The owner may not own more than 5 con10 venience stores.

11 (2) The gross receipts of any store may not ex12 ceed $700,000 for the preceding fiscal year, exclud13 ing proceeds from the sale of gasoline.

14 (c) STATE MINIMUM.—A State that receives a grant

15 under this Act shall receive not less than $200,000.

16 SEC. 5. USES OF FUNDS.

17 A loan received under this Act shall be used to install

18 the following:

19 (1) A video security system capable of 24-hour

20 surveillance.

21 (2) A drop safe or cash management device

22 with restricted access and posters that indicate not

23 more than $50 is accessible to store personnel.

24 (3) A silent alarm system to alert local law en25 forcement officers of a problem.
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1 (4) Height markers at store exits.

2 SEC. 6. DETERMINATION TO TERMINATE PROGRAM.

3 (a) TERMINATION.—The Attorney General shall, by

4 notice in the Federal Register, terminate the State loan

5 program once the Attorney General determines that a suf6 ficient number of eligible convenience stores has had the

7 opportunity to apply for a loan from a State.

8 (b) NOTICE.—Not later than 60 days after publica9 tion of such termination is published in the Federal Reg10 ister, the State shall provide notice to convenience store

11 owners regarding such termination.

12 (c) REMAINING FUNDS.—Any funds, excluding the

13 amount of interest collected, that a State receives as re14 payment from a convenience store owner after the date

15 that the Attorney General terminates the State loan pro16 gram shall be used by such State for law enforcement pur17 poses.

18 SEC. 7. DEFINITION.

19 For purposes of this Act the term ‘‘convenience

20 store’’ includes a retail store that may sell fast foods, bev21 erages, dairy products, publications, grocery items,

22 snacks, some non food items, and gasoline.

23 SEC. 8. REPORT.

24 The chief executive officer of a State that receives

25 a grant under this Act shall submit an annual report to
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1 the Attorney General regarding the number of loans, loca2 tions, amounts, terms, and repayment record of conven3 ience stores in such State that receive funds under this

4 Act.

5 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.

6 There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal

7 year 1997 $50,000,000 to carry out this Act.

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