I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9188 
To provide funding to State and local law enforcement agencies to combat 
auto theft and stolen automobile trafficking, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 14, 2022 
Ms. SHERRILL (for herself, Mr. BACON, Ms. CRAIG, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. 
GOTTHEIMER, Mr. KIM of New Jersey, and Mr. TRONE) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To provide funding to State and local law enforcement agen-
cies to combat auto theft and stolen automobile traf-
ficking, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Auto Theft Prevention 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AUTO THEFT PREVENTION GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services of the De-
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partment of Justice shall establish an auto theft preven-
tion grant program (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Pro-
gram’’) to provide funding to State law enforcement agen-
cies and local law enforcement agencies to combat auto 
theft and stolen vehicle trafficking. 
(b) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT.—The Director shall make 
grants under the Program to the Attorney General of each 
State, with the amount awarded determined by prioritizing 
States with a higher rate of auto thefts as determined by 
an equal weighting of the— 
(1) rate of auto thefts faced by the State in the 
year prior to the date of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) percentage increase in auto thefts between 
the year that is three years prior to the date of the 
enactment of this Act and the year prior to the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.— 
(1) LOCAL
LAW
ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES.— 
The Attorney General of a State shall make at least 
50 percent of a grant awarded under subsection (b) 
available as competitive subgrants to local law en-
forcement agencies to combat auto theft, with the 
amount awarded determined by prioritizing localities 
with a higher rate of auto theft as determined by an 
equal weighting of the— 
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(A) rate of auto thefts faced by the locality 
in the year prior to the date of enactment of 
this Act; and 
(B) percentage increase in auto thefts be-
tween three years prior to the date of the enact-
ment of this Act and the year prior to the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) STATE
LAW
ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES.— 
The Attorney General of a State shall make at least 
25 percent of a grant awarded under subsection (b) 
available as competitive grants to State law enforce-
ment agencies to combat auto theft. 
(3) OTHER AMOUNTS.—The Attorney General 
of a State shall make any proportion of the grant 
awarded under subsection (b) not allocated under 
paragraph (1) or (2) available as competitive sub-
grants to local law enforcement agencies or competi-
tive grants to State law enforcement agencies. Any 
subgrant made under this paragraph to a local law 
enforcement agency shall follow the prioritization 
pursuant to paragraph (1). 
(d) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Amounts from a grant 
awarded under subsection (b) may only be used for the 
purpose of combating auto theft and combating stolen 
automobile trafficking, including— 
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(1) purchasing equipment used to combat auto 
theft, such as law enforcement vehicles and license 
plate readers; 
(2) hiring additional law enforcement officers 
and support staff to combat auto theft; 
(3) funding overtime costs and additional com-
pensation for law enforcement officers and support 
staff involved in combating auto theft; 
(4) providing training for law enforcement offi-
cers and support staff to combat auto theft; 
(5) providing resources for joint task forces es-
tablished to combat auto theft; and 
(6) funding law enforcement data collection and 
research activities related to combating auto theft. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2023 through 2027 to carry out the Program. 
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZED USES OF COPS GRANT 
PROGRAM FUNDS. 
Section 1701(b) of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(b)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (23) as para-
graph (24); 
(2) in paragraph (22)— 
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(A) by striking ‘‘(21)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(22)’’; and 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (22) as 
paragraph (23); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (21), the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(22) to combat auto thefts and combat stolen 
automobile trafficking by purchasing equipment, hir-
ing law enforcement officers and support staff, cov-
ering overtime and officer compensation costs, ex-
panding access to training initiatives, funding joint 
task forces, and funding law enforcement data col-
lection and research activities related to auto 
thefts;’’. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.—The 
term ‘‘local law enforcement agency’’ means any en-
tity administered by a locality that exists primarily 
to prevent and detect crime and enforce criminal 
laws. 
(2) LOCALITY.—The term ‘‘locality’’ means any 
city, county, township, town, borough, parish, vil-
lage, or other general purpose political subdivision of 
a State. 
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(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Is-
lands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(4) STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.—The 
term ‘‘State law enforcement agency’’ means any 
State entity that exists primarily to prevent and de-
tect crime and enforce criminal laws. 
Æ 
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