I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 887 
To authorize local educational agencies and non-public schools to use funds, 
services, or assistance provided under section 2001 or 2002 of the Amer-
ican Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for school safety, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 9, 2023 
Mr. OWENS (for himself, Mr. STEWART, Ms. SALAZAR, and Mr. DIAZ- 
BALART) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To authorize local educational agencies and non-public 
schools to use funds, services, or assistance provided 
under section 2001 or 2002 of the American Rescue 
Plan Act of 2021 for school safety, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘Securing Our Students 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMER-
GENCY RELIEF FUND. 
A local educational agency that receives funds under 
section 2001 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
(20 U.S.C. 3401 note) may use funds not reserved under 
subsection (e)(1) of such section for school safety uses (in 
addition to the purposes specified in subsection (e)(2) of 
such section). 
SEC. 
3. 
EMERGENCY 
ASSISTANCE 
TO 
NON-PUBLIC 
SCHOOLS. 
A non-public school that receives services or assist-
ance under section 2002 of the American Rescue Plan Act 
of 2021 (20 U.S.C. 3401 note) may use such services or 
assistance for school safety uses (in addition to any serv-
ices or assistance authorized under the Emergency Assist-
ance to Non-Public Schools Program). 
SEC. 4. APPLICATION AMENDMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) ELEMENTARY
AND
SECONDARY
SCHOOL 
EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND.—A State making sub-
grants under section 2001(d) of the American Res-
cue Plan Act of 2021 (20 U.S.C. 3401 note) shall, 
not later than 10 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, inform local educational agencies 
eligible to receive such subgrants that the agencies 
may amend their subgrant applications to include 
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school safety uses among the planned uses of funds 
not reserved under section 2001(e)(1) of such Act. 
(2) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO NON-PUBLIC 
SCHOOLS.—A Governor providing services or assist-
ance to non-public schools under section 2002 of the 
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (20 U.S.C. 3401 
note) shall, not later than 10 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, inform non-public schools 
eligible to receive such services and assistance that 
the schools may amend their applications to include 
school safety uses among the requested services and 
assistance. 
(b) CONTENTS.—An amendment authorized under 
subsection (a) shall include— 
(1) what school safety uses are desired to be 
implemented and how such uses will support known 
needs for the local educational agency or non-public 
school; 
(2) an assurance that such uses will be evi-
dence-based; 
(3) what professional development for school 
personnel will be conducted to ensure compliance 
and understanding of the new school safety uses; 
(4) when the implementation of such uses will 
be completed; and 
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(5) an assurance that school safety uses shall 
be included in any required reporting under the 
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (20 U.S.C. 3401 
note). 
(c) APPROVAL.—A State or Governor shall approve 
expeditiously an amendment authorized under subsection 
(a) if it satisfies the requirements of subsection (b). 
(d) REPORTING.—A State or Governor shall report 
to the Secretary of Education what percentage of the 
funds provided to the State or Governor under section 
2001 or 2002 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
(20 U.S.C. 3401 note), respectively, are used for school 
safety uses. 
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘local educational agency’’ has 
the meaning given such term in section 8101 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(2) The term ‘‘school safety uses’’ means im-
proving school conditions for student learning by 
planning and designing school buildings and facili-
ties, installing infrastructure, providing safety edu-
cation for all school personnel and volunteers, and 
implementing technology or other measures, that 
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strengthen security on school premises, which may 
include— 
(A) controlling access to school premises or 
facilities, through the use of metal detectors or 
other measures, including technology, in accord-
ance with the particular needs of a school; 
(B) infrastructure— 
(i) to cover and conceal students with-
in a school during crisis situations; 
(ii) for school safety reinforcement, in-
cluding bullet-resistant doors and windows; 
and 
(iii) for classroom access security 
measures; 
(C) developing methods to provide notifica-
tion to, and communicate with, relevant law en-
forcement, first responders, hospitals, and other 
necessary officials during a crisis situation; 
(D) hiring school security officers, includ-
ing school resource officers, to increase the 
safety of school students and staff; and 
(E) developing a communications system 
that can more rapidly and accurately commu-
nicate information to parents, including pro-
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