TEACH Act of 2023

To eliminate the prohibition on training teachers with effective defensive tools, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Teachers Empowered Against Classroom Harm Act of 2023 TEACH Act of 2023 2. Eliminating barriers between willing school staff and their right to defend their students (a) Eliminating prohibition on training teachers with effective defensive tools Section 8526 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7906 (1) in paragraph (5), by inserting or (2) in paragraph (6), by striking ; or (3) by striking paragraph (7). (b) Prioritizing funding for schools that protect students (1) Prohibition (A) In general The Secretary of Education may not disburse to or obligate any funds for any State, local government, or eligible entity (as defined in section 3) that restricts the possession of firearms in excess of section 922(q) of title 18, United States Code, within school zones as defined in section 921(a)(26) of such title. (B) Definitions In this paragraph: (i) Local government The term local government (ii) State The term State (2) Conforming amendment Section 922(q) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (4). (c) Respecting the right to constitutionally carry a firearm as protected by a majority of these United States Section 922(q)(2)(B) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) by redesignating clauses (iii) through (vii) as clauses (iv) through (vii), respectively; and (2) by inserting after clause (ii) the following: (iii) if the individual possessing the firearm is otherwise eligible or entitled to carry a firearm under the laws of the State in which the school zone is located; . 3. Helping willing staff and schools defend students from armed intruders (a) Grants for school safety Notwithstanding section 4103(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7113(a)(3) (1) instructor and program fees; (2) training supplies; and (3) educational materials. (b) Applications (1) Announcement Not later than October 1, 2023, or 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, whichever occurs later, the Secretary of Education shall announce an application process for grant funding under this section. (2) Priority In approving grant applications under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities with a commitment to protecting the right to keep and bear arms for self-defense as protected by the Second Amendment to the Constitution and affirmed by the Supreme Court’s rulings in District of Columbia v. Heller and NYSRPA v. Bruen. (3) Requirement (A) In general For each fiscal year for which the Secretary reserves funds under section 4103(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7113(a)(3) (B) Hiring freeze (i) In general Subject to clause (ii), if the Secretary fails to comply with the requirements of subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, beginning on October 1 of the succeeding fiscal year— (I) no individual may be appointed to any position within the Department of Education; (II) no new position may be established at the Department; (III) no officer or employee of the Department may be assigned any duties not assigned to that employee in the preceding fiscal year; and (IV) no officer or employee of the Department may be transferred to a duty station other than the duty station applicable to such officer or employee in the preceding fiscal year. (ii) Exception for first year In a case in which the Secretary fails to comply with the requirements of subparagraph (A) in the first fiscal year that begins after the date of enactment of this Act, the hiring freeze described in subclauses (I) through (IV) of clause (i) shall take effect beginning on October 1 of the second succeeding fiscal year. (c) Termination of hiring freeze Any hiring freeze described in subclauses (I) through (IV) of subsection (b)(3)(B)(i) for a fiscal year shall be terminated on the date on which the Secretary of Education notifies the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate that any unobligated funds that have been reserved under section 4103(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7113(a)(3) (d) Reporting requirements (1) Report On the day when the Secretary establishes an announcement of a grant application process under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary of Education shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate an accompanying report on the efforts of the Department of Education to— (A) create a streamlined grant application process under this section; and (B) request the minimum amount of information from grant applicants. (2) Annual report The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report, on an annual basis, on the following: (A) The average amount of time between when a grant applicant submits an application under this section and the disbursement of funds to a grant applicant, and efforts to reduce that average time. (B) Any Department practices, procedures, and rulemakings that could delay or limit accessibility to grant disbursements. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Defensive training program The term defensive training program (A) instructs an individual on the best practices for carrying a firearm on school property for defensive purposes as approved by— (i) a State or local government; or (ii) school administrators, a school board, or other governing body of a school; (B) instructs an individual on the best practices for using or carrying, or storing (if applicable) a firearm on school property for defensive purposes, including— (i) the protection of students from a violent criminal; (ii) the interaction of armed citizens with first responders; (iii) denying an intruder entry into a classroom or school facility; or (iv) increasing an individual’s accuracy with a firearm while under duress; and (C) instructs individuals on the use of emergency medical response equipment and traumatic injury kits. (2) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (A) A local educational agency, or a consortium of local educational agencies. (B) The Bureau of Indian Education. (C) A private elementary school or secondary school. (D) An entity described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C), in partnership with— (i) a nonprofit organization that has demonstrated experience in defensive training programs; (ii) a business; or (iii) an educational service agency. (E) A nonprofit organization that has demonstrated experience in defensive training programs. (3) ESEA terms The terms educational service agency elementary school local educational agency secondary school Secretary 20 U.S.C. 7801

Summary: Teachers Empowered Against Classroom Harm Act of 2023 or the TEACH Act of 2023 This bill addresses school safety and security, including by expanding access to firearms for certain individuals and providing grants for defensive training programs. Current law prohibits the use of federal elementary and secondary education funds to provide any person with a dangerous weapon or training in the use of a dangerous weapon. The bill removes this prohibition. Next, the bill broadens the authority for certain individuals to carry firearms in a school zone. Specifically, the bill exempts individuals authorized by state law to carry firearms from the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone. Further, the bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from disbursing or obligating funds for states, local governments, or eligible entities (e.g., local educational agencies or private schools) that restrict (in excess of federal law) the possession of firearms within school zones. Additionally, the bill directs ED to obligate certain reserved funds (i.e., funds reserved for technical assistance and capacity building) for a grant program. In particular, ED must award grants to enable eligible entities (e.g., local educational agencies or private schools) to participate in defensive training programs designed to protect schools from armed intruders. ED must fully obligate these funds for awarding grants and failure to do so shall result in a hiring freeze for ED.