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. 
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 ‘‘Safe Schools Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of an ESSERF program or any other law, a State 
or local educational agency that has received funds under 
an ESSERF program may, in lieu of the original re-
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quested or authorized use for such funds, use a portion 
of, or all, of the unexpended funds to carry out 1 or more 
school security measures. 
(b) NO FEDERAL INTERFERENCE.—The Secretary of 
Education shall not— 
(1) prevent or discourage any State or local 
educational agency from using any ESSERF pro-
gram funds for school security measures; 
(2) require the use of funds under subsection 
(a) to be in response to, or in any way connected 
with, the coronavirus; or 
(3) enforce any requirement of an ESSERF 
program if such requirement would prevent a State 
or local educational agency from carrying out a 
school security measure authorized under subsection 
(a). 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ESSERF PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘ESSERF 
program’’ means a program carried out under— 
(A) section 18003 of the CARES Act (20 
U.S.C. 3401 note; Public Law 116–136); 
(B) section 313 of division M of the Con-
solidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 
116–260; 134 Stat. 1929); or 
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(C) section 2001 of the American Rescue 
Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–2; 135 Stat. 
19). 
(2) SCHOOL
SECURITY
MEASURE.—The term 
‘‘school security measure’’ means any of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) An evidence-based strategy or program 
to prevent violence, which may include the use 
of appropriate technologies, including the place-
ment and use of metal detectors and other de-
terrent measures and emergency notification 
and response technologies. 
(B) Training to prevent student violence 
against others and self, including training for 
local law enforcement officers, school personnel, 
and students. 
(C) The development and operation of an 
anonymous reporting system for threats of 
school violence, including a mobile telephone ap-
plication, hotline, or internet website. 
(D) The development and operation of— 
(i) a school threat assessment and 
intervention team that may include coordi-
nation with law enforcement agencies and 
school personnel; and 
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(ii) specialized training for school offi-
cials in responding to mental health crises. 
(E) Coordination with local law enforce-
ment agencies. 
(F) A security assessment. 
(G) Security training of personnel and stu-
dents. 
(H) Acquisition and installation of tech-
nology for expedited notification of local law en-
forcement during an emergency. 
(I) Reinforcing or replacing classroom 
doors, locks, or window panels. 
(J) Constructing fencing, bollards, plant-
ers, curbs, walls, or any other entry control 
measure to create a single point of entry to the 
campus. 
(K) Clearing exterior spaces of foliage or 
structures to eliminate spaces that could con-
ceal illicit activity, provide access to the build-
ing above the first floor, or otherwise aid an in-
truder. 
(L) Installing a system to monitor hall-
ways, stairwells, and utility rooms, such as 
physical inspection or surveillance cameras. 
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(M) Hiring and paying the salaries of 
qualified individuals, such as retired law en-
forcement officers or military veterans, to serve 
as armed school resource officers. 
Æ 
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