I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2592 

To allow States and local educational agencies to use any remaining COVID– 

19 elementary and secondary school emergency relief funds for school 

security measures. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 13, 2023 

Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To allow States and local educational agencies to use any 

remaining COVID–19 elementary and secondary school 

emergency relief funds for school security measures. 

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 ‘‘Safe Schools Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi7 sion of an ESSERF program or any other law, a State 

8 or local educational agency that has received funds under 

9 an ESSERF program may, in lieu of the original reVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:07 Apr 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2592.IH H2592

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1 quested or authorized use for such funds, use a portion 

2 of, or all, of the unexpended funds to carry out 1 or more 

3 school security measures. 

4 (b) NO FEDERAL INTERFERENCE.—The Secretary of 

5 Education shall not— 

6 (1) prevent or discourage any State or local 

7 educational agency from using any ESSERF pro8 gram funds for school security measures; 

9 (2) require the use of funds under subsection 

10 (a) to be in response to, or in any way connected 

11 with, the coronavirus; or 

12 (3) enforce any requirement of an ESSERF 

13 program if such requirement would prevent a State 

14 or local educational agency from carrying out a 

15 school security measure authorized under subsection 

16 (a). 

17 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

18 (1) ESSERF PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘ESSERF 

19 program’’ means a program carried out under— 

20 (A) section 18003 of the CARES Act (20 

21 U.S.C. 3401 note; Public Law 116–136); 

22 (B) section 313 of division M of the Con23 solidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 

24 116–260; 134 Stat. 1929); or 


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1 (C) section 2001 of the American Rescue 

2 Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–2; 135 Stat. 

3 19). 

4 (2) SCHOOL SECURITY MEASURE.—The term 

5 ‘‘school security measure’’ means any of the fol6 lowing: 

7 (A) An evidence-based strategy or program 

8 to prevent violence, which may include the use 

9 of appropriate technologies, including the place10 ment and use of metal detectors and other de11 terrent measures and emergency notification 

12 and response technologies. 

13 (B) Training to prevent student violence 

14 against others and self, including training for 

15 local law enforcement officers, school personnel, 

16 and students. 

17 (C) The development and operation of an 

18 anonymous reporting system for threats of 

19 school violence, including a mobile telephone ap20 plication, hotline, or internet website. 

21 (D) The development and operation of— 

22 (i) a school threat assessment and 

23 intervention team that may include coordi24 nation with law enforcement agencies and 

25 school personnel; and 


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1 (ii) specialized training for school offi2 cials in responding to mental health crises. 

3 (E) Coordination with local law enforce4 ment agencies. 

5 (F) A security assessment. 

6 (G) Security training of personnel and stu7 dents. 

8 (H) Acquisition and installation of tech9 nology for expedited notification of local law en10 forcement during an emergency. 

11 (I) Reinforcing or replacing classroom 

12 doors, locks, or window panels. 

13 (J) Constructing fencing, bollards, plant14 ers, curbs, walls, or any other entry control 

15 measure to create a single point of entry to the 

16 campus. 

17 (K) Clearing exterior spaces of foliage or 

18 structures to eliminate spaces that could con19 ceal illicit activity, provide access to the build20 ing above the first floor, or otherwise aid an in21 truder. 

22 (L) Installing a system to monitor hall23 ways, stairwells, and utility rooms, such as 

24 physical inspection or surveillance cameras. 


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1 (M) Hiring and paying the salaries of 

2 qualified individuals, such as retired law en3 forcement officers or military veterans, to serve 

4 as armed school resource officers. 

Æ 


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