Securing Our Students Act
Bill: H.R.7942 | Sponsor: Rep. Owens, Burgess (R-UT)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Securing Our Students Act
This bill authorizes local educational agencies and nonpublic schools to use certain COVID-19 emergency relief funds, services, or assistance for school safety uses, that is improving school conditions for student learning by planning and designing school buildings and facilities, installing infrastructure, providing safety education, and implementing technology or other measures that strengthen security on school premises.

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 
                               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 ``Securing Our Students Act''.

SEC. 2. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY 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 assistance 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 services or assistance authorized under the Emergency 
Assistance to Non-Public Schools Program).

SEC. 4. APPLICATION AMENDMENT.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Elementary and secondary school emergency relief 
        fund.--A State making subgrants under section 2001(d) 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 local educational agencies eligible to receive such 
        subgrants that the agencies may amend their subgrant 
        applications to include 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 assistance 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 evidence-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
            (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 improving school 
        conditions for student learning by planning and designing 
        school buildings and facilities, installing infrastructure, 
        providing safety education for all school personnel and 
        volunteers, and implementing technology or other measures, that 
        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 accordance with the 
                particular needs of a school;
                    (B) infrastructure--
                            (i) to cover and conceal students within a 
                        school during crisis situations;
                            (ii) for school safety reinforcement, 
                        including bullet-resistant doors and windows; 
                        and
                            (iii) for classroom access security 
                        measures;
                    (C) developing methods to provide notification to, 
                and communicate with, relevant law enforcement, first 
                responders, hospitals, and other necessary officials 
                during a crisis situation;
                    (D) hiring school security officers, including 
                school resource officers, to increase the safety of 
                school students and staff; and
                    (E) developing a communications system that can 
                more rapidly and accurately communicate information to 
                parents, including providing status updates during and 
                after a crisis situation.
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