Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021
Bill: S.435 | Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike (R-ID)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021
This bill extends through FY2023 payments made to states and eligible counties containing certain federal land under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.
The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture shall carry out a pilot program to allow the Chief of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to nominate members of resource advisory committees.
County funds may be used to provide or expand access to (1) broadband telecommunications services at local schools, or (2) the technology and connectivity necessary for students to use a digital learning tool at or outside of a local school campus.
Any county funds that were obligated by a county before October 1, 2017, but are unspent on October 1, 2020, may be used by the county for any authorized use and shall be available for projects initiated after October 1, 2020.
No county funds may be used for lobbying activity, regardless of the purpose for which the funds are obligated on or before the enactment of this bill.

To extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act 
                                of 2000.

    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 ``Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization 
Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SELF-
              DETERMINATION ACT OF 2000.

    (a) Definition of Full Funding Amount.--Section 3(11) of the Secure 
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 
7102(11)) is amended by striking subparagraphs (D) and (E) and 
inserting the following:
                    ``(D) for fiscal year 2017, the amount that is 
                equal to 95 percent of the full funding amount for 
                fiscal year 2015;
                    ``(E) for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2020, 
                the amount that is equal to 95 percent of the full 
                funding amount for the preceding fiscal year; and
                    ``(F) for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year 
                thereafter, the amount that is equal to the full 
                funding amount for fiscal year 2017.''.
    (b) Secure Payments for States and Counties Containing Federal 
Land.--
            (1) Secure payments.--Section 101 of the Secure Rural 
        Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 
        7111) is amended, in subsections (a) and (b), by striking 
        ``2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``2015 and 2017 through 2023''.
            (2) Distribution of payments to eligible counties.--Section 
        103(d)(2) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
        Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7113(d)(2)) is amended by 
        striking ``2020'' and inserting ``2023''.
    (c) Pilot Program To Streamline Nomination of Members of Resource 
Advisory Committees.--Section 205 of the Secure Rural Schools and 
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7125) is amended by 
striking subsection (g) and inserting the following:
    ``(g) Resource Advisory Committee Appointment Pilot Programs.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Applicable designee.--The term `applicable 
                designee' means the applicable regional forester.
                    ``(B) National pilot program.--The term `national 
                pilot program' means the national pilot program 
                established under paragraph (4)(A).
                    ``(C) Regional pilot program.--The term `regional 
                pilot program' means the regional pilot program 
                established under paragraph (3)(A).
            ``(2) Establishment of pilot programs.--In accordance with 
        paragraphs (3) and (4), the Secretary concerned shall carry out 
        2 pilot programs to appoint members of resource advisory 
        committees.
            ``(3) Regional pilot program.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall 
                carry out a regional pilot program to allow an 
                applicable designee to appoint members of resource 
                advisory committees.
                    ``(B) Geographic limitation.--The regional pilot 
                program shall only apply to resource advisory 
                committees chartered in--
                            ``(i) the State of Montana; and
                            ``(ii) the State of Arizona.
                    ``(C) Responsibilities of applicable designee.--
                            ``(i) Review.--Before appointing a member 
                        of a resource advisory committee under the 
                        regional pilot program, an applicable designee 
                        shall conduct the review and analysis that 
                        would otherwise be conducted for an appointment 
                        to a resource advisory committee if the 
                        regional pilot program was not in effect, 
                        including any review and analysis with respect 
                        to civil rights and budgetary requirements.
                            ``(ii) Savings clause.--Nothing in this 
                        paragraph relieves an applicable designee from 
                        any requirement developed by the Secretary 
                        concerned for making an appointment to a 
                        resource advisory committee that is in effect 
                        on December 20, 2018, including any requirement 
                        for advertising a vacancy.
            ``(4) National pilot program.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall 
                carry out a national pilot program to allow the Chief 
                of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau of 
                Land Management, as applicable, to submit to the 
                Secretary concerned nominations of individuals for 
                appointment as members of resource advisory committees.
                    ``(B) Appointment.--Under the national pilot 
                program, subject to subparagraph (C), not later than 30 
                days after the date on which a nomination is 
                transmitted to the Secretary concerned under 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary concerned shall--
                            ``(i) appoint the nominee to the applicable 
                        resource advisory committee; or
                            ``(ii) reject the nomination.
                    ``(C) Automatic appointment.--If the Secretary 
                concerned does not act on a nomination in accordance 
                with subparagraph (B) by the date described in that 
                subparagraph, the nominee shall be deemed appointed to 
                the applicable resource advisory committee.
                    ``(D) Geographic limitation.--The national pilot 
                program shall apply to a resource advisory committee 
                chartered in any State other than--
                            ``(i) the State of Montana; or
                            ``(ii) the State of Arizona.
                    ``(E) Savings clause.--Nothing in this paragraph 
                relieves the Secretary concerned from any requirement 
                relating to an appointment to a resource advisory 
                committee, including any requirement with respect to 
                civil rights or advertising a vacancy.
            ``(5) Termination of effectiveness.--The authority provided 
        under this subsection terminates on October 1, 2023.
            ``(6) Report to congress.--Not later 180 days after the 
        date described in paragraph (5), the Secretary concerned shall 
        submit to Congress a report that includes--
                    ``(A) with respect to appointments made under the 
                regional pilot program compared to appointments made 
                under the national pilot program, a description of the 
                extent to which--
                            ``(i) appointments were faster or slower; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) the requirements described in 
                        paragraph (3)(C)(i) differ; and
                    ``(B) a recommendation with respect to whether 
                Congress should terminate, continue, modify, or expand 
                the pilot programs.''.
    (d) Extension of Authority To Conduct Special Projects on Federal 
Land.--
            (1) Existing advisory committees.--Section 205(a)(4) of the 
        Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 
        2000 (16 U.S.C. 7125(a)(4)) is amended by striking ``December 
        20, 2021'' each place it appears and inserting ``December 20, 
        2023''.
            (2) Extension of authority.--Section 208 of the Secure 
        Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 
        U.S.C. 7128) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``2022'' and 
                inserting ``2025''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``2023'' and 
                inserting ``2026''.
    (e) Access to Broadband and Other Technology.--Section 302(a) of 
the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 
(16 U.S.C. 7142(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) to provide or expand access to--
                    ``(A) broadband telecommunications services at 
                local schools; or
                    ``(B) the technology and connectivity necessary for 
                students to use a digital learning tool at or outside 
                of a local school campus.''.
    (f) Extension of Authority To Expend County Funds.--Section 304 of 
the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 
(16 U.S.C. 7144) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``2022'' and inserting 
        ``2025''; and
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2026''.
    (g) Amounts Obligated but Unspent; Prohibition on Use of Funds.--
Title III of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination 
Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7141 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 304 as section 305; and
            (2) by inserting after section 303 the following:

``SEC. 304. AMOUNTS OBLIGATED BUT UNSPENT; PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS.

    ``(a) Amounts Obligated but Unspent.--Any county funds that were 
obligated by the applicable participating county before October 1, 
2017, but are unspent on October 1, 2020--
            ``(1) may, at the option of the participating county, be 
        deemed to have been reserved by the participating county on 
        October 1, 2020, for expenditure in accordance with this title; 
        and
            ``(2)(A) may be used by the participating county for any 
        authorized use under section 302(a); and
            ``(B) on a determination by the participating county under 
        subparagraph (A) to use the county funds, shall be available 
        for projects initiated after October 1, 2020, subject to 
        section 305.
    ``(b) Prohibition on Use of Funds.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, effective beginning on the date of enactment of the 
Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021, no county funds made 
available under this title may be used by any participating county for 
any lobbying activity, regardless of the purpose for which the funds 
are obligated on or before that date.''.
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