I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2541 
To prioritize the hiring and training of veterans and retired law enforcement 
officers as school resource officers, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 6, 2023 
Mr. VAN DREW (for himself, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. BARR, Mr. BACON, Mrs. 
MILLER-MEEKS, and Mr. DIAZ-BALART) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, and Education and the Work-
force, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each 
case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To prioritize the hiring and training of veterans and retired 
law enforcement officers as school resource officers, 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 ‘‘Ensuring Safer 
Schools Act of 2023’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Apr 14, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2541.IH
H2541
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. USES OF COPS GRANTS TO HIRE VETERANS AND 
RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS 
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. 
Section 1701(b)(12) of the Omnibus Crime Control 
and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(b)(12)) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘, and the hiring and training 
of veterans and retired law enforcement officers to serve 
as school resource officers’’ after ‘‘offenses’’. 
SEC. 3. PREFERENTIAL CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS 
FOR CERTAIN GRANTS. 
Section 1701(c) of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(c)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) for hiring and training veterans and re-
tired law enforcement officers as school resource of-
ficers.’’. 
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 
Section 1701(d) of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(d)(3)) is 
amended by inserting after paragraph (3): 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Apr 14, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2541.IH
H2541
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(4) MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND TRAIN-
ING.—The Attorney General may provide technical 
assistance to States, units of local government, In-
dian tribal governments, and to other public and pri-
vate entities using funds under this section for pur-
poses described in subsection (b)(12) to provide 
school resource officers with an annual mental 
health screening and an annual training on tactics 
and response.’’. 
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 1709(4) of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10389(4)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 
by inserting ‘‘, veteran, or retired law enforcement 
officer’’ after ‘‘career law enforcement officer’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(3) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(4) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(H) to meet at least annually with stu-
dents in order to increase familiarity between 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Apr 14, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2541.IH
H2541
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
students and the officer and to foster commu-
nity engagement.’’. 
SEC. 6. COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS. 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall coordinate 
with recipients of grants under part Q of title I of the 
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 
U.S.C. 10381 et seq.) to connect veterans seeking to serve 
as school resource officers (as such term is defined in sec-
tion 1709 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 
Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 1038)) with local law enforcement 
agencies participating in school-based partnerships de-
scribed in section 1701(b)(12) of the Omnibus Crime Con-
trol and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 
10381(b)(12)). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Apr 14, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2541.IH
H2541
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS