Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021

To extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021 2. Extension of Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (a) Definition of full funding amount Section 3(11) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7102(11) (D) for fiscal year 2017, the amount that is equal to 95 percent of the full funding amount for fiscal year 2015; (E) for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2020, the amount that is equal to 95 percent of the full funding amount for the preceding fiscal year; and (F) for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount that is equal to the full funding amount for fiscal year 2017. . (b) Secure payments for States and counties containing Federal land (1) Secure payments Section 101 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7111 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 2015 and 2017 through 2023 (2) Distribution of payments to eligible counties Section 103(d)(2) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7113(d)(2) 2020 2023 (c) Pilot program To streamline nomination of members of resource advisory committees Section 205 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7125 (g) Resource advisory committee appointment pilot programs (1) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Applicable designee The term applicable designee (B) National pilot program The term national pilot program (C) Regional pilot program The term regional pilot program (2) Establishment of pilot programs In accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4), the Secretary concerned shall carry out 2 pilot programs to appoint members of resource advisory committees. (3) Regional pilot program (A) In general The Secretary concerned shall carry out a regional pilot program to allow an applicable designee to appoint members of resource advisory committees. (B) Geographic limitation The regional pilot program shall only apply to resource advisory committees chartered in— (i) the State of Montana; and (ii) the State of Arizona. (C) Responsibilities of applicable designee (i) Review Before appointing a member of a resource advisory committee under the regional pilot program, an applicable designee shall conduct the review and analysis that would otherwise be conducted for an appointment to a resource advisory committee if the regional pilot program was not in effect, including any review and analysis with respect to civil rights and budgetary requirements. (ii) Savings clause Nothing in this paragraph relieves an applicable designee from any requirement developed by the Secretary concerned for making an appointment to a resource advisory committee that is in effect on December 20, 2018, including any requirement for advertising a vacancy. (4) National pilot program (A) In general The Secretary concerned shall carry out a national pilot program to allow the Chief of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, as applicable, to submit to the Secretary concerned nominations of individuals for appointment as members of resource advisory committees. (B) Appointment Under the national pilot program, subject to subparagraph (C), not later than 30 days after the date on which a nomination is transmitted to the Secretary concerned under subparagraph (A), the Secretary concerned shall— (i) appoint the nominee to the applicable resource advisory committee; or (ii) reject the nomination. (C) Automatic appointment If the Secretary concerned does not act on a nomination in accordance with subparagraph (B) by the date described in that subparagraph, the nominee shall be deemed appointed to the applicable resource advisory committee. (D) Geographic limitation The national pilot program shall apply to a resource advisory committee chartered in any State other than— (i) the State of Montana; or (ii) the State of Arizona. (E) Savings clause Nothing in this paragraph relieves the Secretary concerned from any requirement relating to an appointment to a resource advisory committee, including any requirement with respect to civil rights or advertising a vacancy. (5) Termination of effectiveness The authority provided under this subsection terminates on October 1, 2023. (6) Report to Congress Not later 180 days after the date described in paragraph (5), the Secretary concerned shall submit to Congress a report that includes— (A) with respect to appointments made under the regional pilot program compared to appointments made under the national pilot program, a description of the extent to which— (i) appointments were faster or slower; and (ii) the requirements described in paragraph (3)(C)(i) differ; and (B) a recommendation with respect to whether Congress should terminate, continue, modify, or expand the pilot programs. . (d) Extension of authority To conduct special projects on Federal land (1) Existing advisory committees Section 205(a)(4) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7125(a)(4) December 20, 2021 December 20, 2023 (2) Extension of authority Section 208 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7128 (A) in subsection (a), by striking 2022 2025 (B) in subsection (b), by striking 2023 2026 (e) Access to broadband and other technology Section 302(a) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7142(a) (1) in paragraph (3), by striking and (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (5) to provide or expand access to— (A) broadband telecommunications services at local schools; or (B) the technology and connectivity necessary for students to use a digital learning tool at or outside of a local school campus. . (f) Extension of authority To expend county funds Section 304 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7144 (1) in subsection (a), by striking 2022 2025 (2) in subsection (b), by striking 2023 2026 (g) Amounts obligated but unspent; prohibition on use of funds Title III of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 ( 16 U.S.C. 7141 (1) by redesignating section 304 as section 305; and (2) by inserting after section 303 the following: 304. Amounts obligated but unspent; prohibition on use of funds (a) Amounts obligated but unspent Any county funds that were obligated by the applicable participating county before October 1, 2017, but are unspent on October 1, 2020— (1) may, at the option of the participating county, be deemed to have been reserved by the participating county on October 1, 2020, for expenditure in accordance with this title; and (2) (A) may be used by the participating county for any authorized use under section 302(a); and (B) on a determination by the participating county under subparagraph (A) to use the county funds, shall be available for projects initiated after October 1, 2020, subject to section 305. (b) Prohibition on use of funds Notwithstanding any other provision of law, effective beginning on the date of enactment of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021 .

Summary: Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021 This bill extends through FY2023 payments made to states and eligible counties containing certain federal land under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture shall carry out a pilot program to allow the Chief of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to nominate members of resource advisory committees. County funds may be used to provide or expand access to (1) broadband telecommunications services at local schools, or (2) the technology and connectivity necessary for students to use a digital learning tool at or outside of a local school campus. Any county funds that were obligated by a county before October 1, 2017, but are unspent on October 1, 2020, may be used by the county for any authorized use and shall be available for projects initiated after October 1, 2020. No county funds may be used for lobbying activity, regardless of the purpose for which the funds are obligated on or before the enactment of this bill.