SCORE Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.3529 | Sponsor: Rep. Nehls, Troy E. (R-TX)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Second Chance Opportunity for Re-Entry Education Act of 2021 or the SCORE Act of 2021
This bill directs the Bureau of Justice Assistance within the Department of Justice to establish a grant program—the Second Chance Opportunity for Re-Entry Education Grant Program—to promote reentry training programs and reduce recidivism to county jails for qualified nonviolent inmates.

To direct the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to establish 
   a grant program to promote re-entry training programs and reduce 
                  recidivism, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Second Chance Opportunity for Re-
Entry Education Act of 2021'' or the ``SCORE Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. GRANT TO PROMOTE RE-ENTRY TRAINING PROGRAMS AND REDUCE 
              RECIDIVISM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance 
shall establish a grant program called the ``Second Chance Opportunity 
for Re-Entry Education Grant Program'' (in this Act referred to as the 
``Program'') to promote re-entry training programs and reduce 
recidivism to county jails for qualified non-violent inmates.
    (b) Grant Authority.--In carrying out the Program, the Director may 
award a grant on a competitive basis in accordance with this section.
    (c) Eligible Recipients.--
            (1) In general.--The Director may award a grant under the 
        Program to a county with a county jail inmate population of 500 
        or more inmates, determined by the Director to have the 
        authority and capability to carry out a project described in 
        subsection (d).
            (2) County coordination.--The Director may award a grant 
        under the Program to two or more counties, as a group, with a 
        county jail inmate population of less than 500 inmates if the 
        combined inmate population of these counties is 500 or more 
        inmates and together these counties are determined by the 
        Director to have the authority and capability to carry out a 
        project described in subsection (d).
    (d) Eligible Projects.--Grant funds awarded under the Program may 
only be used to develop or manage an existing career training program 
at a county jail to provide training in welding, heating ventilation, 
and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, or any other career training 
program determined to be an eligible project by the Director.
    (e) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible for a grant under the 
        Program, a county with a county jail inmate population of 500 
        or more inmates may submit to the Director an application in 
        such form, at such time, and containing such information as the 
        Director determines to be appropriate.
            (2) County coordination.--To be eligible for a grant under 
        the Program, two or more counties with a combined county jail 
        inmate population of 500 or more inmates may submit to the 
        Director an application as a group, in such form, at such time, 
        and containing such information as the Director determines to 
        be appropriate.
    (f) Priority.--In making a grant under the Program, the Director 
shall give priority to an eligible recipient that--
            (1) has career training programs and facilities for such 
        programs;
            (2) coordinates with local or adjacent civilian trade 
        schools, technical or vocational institutes, or community 
        colleges that can provide paid instructors for inmate classroom 
        instruction;
            (3) as county owned or leased land that can support 
        construction of classroom and vocational training space;
            (4) has county assets so that the county can transport, 
        feed, and secure inmates during inmate classroom instruction 
        and traveling to and from such classroom instruction;
            (5) has administrative support from a county sheriff, 
        county judge, or county commissioners court members, as 
        applicable; and
            (6) coordinates with non-profit organizations and unions 
        that have expertise and experience in career training programs.
    (g) Limitation on Grant Amounts.--The amount of a grant under the 
Program shall not exceed $500,000, including if a grant is made to two 
or more counties with a combined county jail inmate population of 500 
or more inmates.
    (h) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project 
assisted with a grant under the Program shall not exceed 75 percent.
    (i) Evaluation of Program.--Not later than 365 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, an eligible 
recipient who is awarded a grant under the Program shall submit to the 
Director a report on the Program, including:
            (1) The number of inmates that entered career training 
        programs developed pursuant to the Program.
            (2) The number of inmates that completed or graduated 
        career training programs developed pursuant to the Program.
            (3) The number of inmates that completed or graduated 
        career training programs developed pursuant to the Program and 
        re-entered the county jail after their release from jail.
            (4) The number of inmates that completed or graduated 
        career training programs developed pursuant to the Program who 
        found employment after release and what career field they are 
        employed in.
    (j) Qualified Non-Violent Inmates Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``qualified non-violent inmates'' means--
            (1) a non-violent individual who has not been convicted of 
        an offense during the course of which--
                    (A) the individual used a firearm or other 
                dangerous weapon; or
                    (B) there occurred the death of, or serious bodily 
                injury to, any person;
            (2) a non-violent individual who has not been charged or 
        convicted of any offense under Federal or State law, punishable 
        by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, that is murder, 
        voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, aggravated assault, a 
        forcible sex offense, robbery, arson, extortion, or the use or 
        unlawful possession of a firearm described in section 5845(a) 
        of the Internal Revenue Code of 1968 (26 U.S.C. 5845(a)) or 
        explosive material as defined in section 841(c) of title 18, 
        United States Code.
    (k) Funding of Program.--Section 506 of the Omnibus Crime Control 
and Safe Streets Act of 198 (34 U.S.C. 10157) is amended by inserting 
the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Of the total amount made available to carry out this part for 
a fiscal year, the Attorney General shall reserve not more than 3 
percent to be granted to 1 or more county for the grant program 
established pursuant to the `SCORE Act of 2021' for each of the fiscal 
years 2022 to 2027.''.
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