I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1895
To develop programs that enhance school safety for our children.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 20, 1999
Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. FROST, Mr. LEVIN, Mr.
ETHERIDGE, Mr. WISE, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. CARSON, Ms.
HOOLEY of Oregon, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. REYES, Mr.
BALDACCI, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr.
ROTHMAN, Mr. HOLT, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. DEFAZIO,
Mr. SCOTT, Mr. WYNN, Mr. WAXMAN, Ms. LEE, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr.
WEYGAND, Ms. WOOLSEY, and Mr. DAVIS of Florida) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned
A BILL
To develop programs that enhance school safety for our
children.
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 ‘‘School Anti-Violence
Empowerment Act’’.
TITLE I—SCHOOL SAFETY
PROGRAMS
SEC. 101. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
The Secretary of Education is authorized to provide
grants to local educational agencies to establish or en-
hance crisis intervention programs, including the hiring of
school counselors and to enhance school safety programs
for students, staff, and school facilities.
SEC. 102. GRANT AWARDS.
(a) LOCAL AWARDS.—The Secretary shall award
grants to local educational agencies on a competitive basis.
(b) GRANT PROGRAMS.—From the amounts appro-
priated under section 106, the Secretary shall reserve—
(1) 50 percent of such amount to award grants
to local educational agencies to hire school coun-
selors; and
(2) 50 percent of such amount to award grants
to local educational agencies to enhance school safe-
ty programs for students, staff, and school facilities.
(c) PRIORITY.—Such awards shall be based on one
or more of the following factors:
(1) Quality of existing or proposed violence pre-
vention program.
(2) Greatest need for crisis intervention coun-
seling services.
(3) Documented financial need based on num-
ber of students served under part A of title I of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(d) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.—In awarding grants
under this title, the Secretary shall ensure, to the extent
practicable, an equitable geographic distribution among
the regions of the United States and among urban, subur-
ban, and rural areas.
(e) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The Secretary may re-
serve not more than 1 percent from amounts appropriated
under section 106 for administrative costs.
(f) ELIGIBILITY.—A local educational agency that
meets the requirements of this title shall be eligible to re-
ceive a grant to hire school counselors and a grant to en-
hance school safety programs for students, staff, and
school facilities.
SEC. 103. APPLICATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each local educational agency de-
siring a grant under this title shall submit an application
to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accom-
panied by such information as the Secretary may require.
(b) CONTENTS.—Such application shall include a
plan that contains the following:
(1) In the case of a local educational agency ap-
plying for a grant to enhance school safety
programs—
(A) a description of any existing violence
prevention, safety, and crisis intervention pro-
grams;
(B) proposed changes to any such pro-
grams and a description of any new programs;
and
(C) documentation regarding financial
need.
(2) In the case of a local educational agency ap-
plying for a grant to hire school counselors—
(A) a description of the need for a crisis
intervention counseling program; and
(B) documentation regarding financial
need.
SEC. 104. REPORTING.
Each local educational agency that receives a grant
under this title shall provide an annual report to the Sec-
retary. In the case of a local educational agency that re-
ceives a grant to enhance school safety programs, such
report shall describe how such agency used funds provided
under this title and include a description of new school
safety measures and changes implemented to existing vio-
lence prevention, safety, and crisis intervention programs.
In the case of a local educational agency that receives a
grant to hire school counselors, such report shall describe
how such agency used funds provided under this title and
include the number of school counselors hired with such
funds.
SEC. 105. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this title:
(1) The terms ‘‘elementary school’’, ‘‘local edu-
cational agency’’, and ‘‘secondary school’’ have the
same meanings given the terms in section 14101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).
(2) The term ‘‘school counselor’’ means an indi-
vidual who has documented competence in coun-
seling children and adolescents in a school setting
and who—
(A) possesses State licensure or certifi-
cation granted by an independent professional
regulatory authority;
(B) in the absence of such State licensure
or certification, possesses national certification
in school counseling or a specialty of counseling
granted by an independent professional organi-
zation; or
(C) holds a minimum of a master’s degree
in school counseling from a program accredited
by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling
and Related Educational Programs or the
equivalent.
(3) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of Education.
(4) the term ‘‘school safety’’ means the safety
of students, faculty, and school facilities from acts
of violence.
SEC. 106. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this title $700,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2000
through 2004.
TITLE II—INCREASED COPS
FUNDING
SEC. 201. INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE COPS PROGRAM.
Section 1001(a)(11) of part J of title I of the Omni-
bus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42
U.S.C. 3793(a)(11)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
‘‘(C) In addition to amounts made available under
subparagraph (A), there are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out part Q, to remain available until expended,
the total amount of $1,500,000,000 for fiscal years 2000
through 2004, of which 50 percent shall be used for coop-
erative partnerships between schools and State and local
police departments to provide for the use of police officers
in schools.’’.
SEC. 202. GRANT AUTHORITY.
Section 1701 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control
and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd) is
amended—
(1) in subsection (i), by striking the second sen-
tence; and
(2) by striking subsection (k).
TITLE III—21ST CENTURY
LEARNING
SEC. 301. AFTER-SCHOOL AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS FOR
AT-RISK YOUTH.
Section 10907 of part I of title X of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8247)
is amended by striking ‘‘appropriated’’ and all that follows
before the period and inserting the following: ‘‘appro-
priated to carry out this part—
‘‘(1) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal
year 1999; and
‘‘(2) $250,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2000
through 2004’’.
TITLE IV—MODEL PROGRAM
AND CLEARINGHOUSE
SEC. 401. MODEL PROGRAM.
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Education, in consulta-
tion with the Attorney General, shall develop a model vio-
lence prevention program to be made available to local
educational agencies.
SEC. 402. CLEARINGHOUSE.
The Secretary of Education shall establish and main-
tain a national clearinghouse to provide technical assist-
ance regarding the establishment and operation of alter-
native violence prevention programs. The national clear-
inghouse shall make information regarding alternative vio-
lence prevention programs available to local educational
agencies.
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