Ensuring Safer Schools Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.8192 | Sponsor: Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson (R-NJ)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Ensuring Safer Schools Act of 2022
This bill allows funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program to be used to hire and train veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers. It also directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to coordinate with COPS grant recipients to connect veterans seeking to serve as school resource officers with local law enforcement agencies participating in school-based partnerships.

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 Representatives 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 
2022''.

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 amended--
            (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 following:
            ``(4) for hiring and training veterans and retired law 
        enforcement officers as school resource officers.''.

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):
            ``(4) Mental health screening and training.--The Attorney 
        General may provide technical assistance to States, units of 
        local government, Indian tribal governments, and to other 
        public and private entities using funds under this section for 
        purposes 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 amended--
            (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 following:
                    ``(H) to meet at least annually with students in 
                order to increase familiarity between students and the 
                officer and to foster community engagement.''.

SEC. 6. COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 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 section 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 described in section 
1701(b)(12) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 
(34 U.S.C. 10381(b)(12)).
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