Title: Securing Children in Schools Act of 2018
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Securing Children in Schools Act of 2018
This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize a grant program for state, local, and tribal governments to place and use metal detectors and other screening technologies at schools and on school grounds.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5135 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5135

  To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
   provide for additional grants for school security, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2018

 Ms. Granger (for herself, Mr. Diaz-Balart, and Mr. Flores) introduced 
    the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
   provide for additional grants for school security, 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 Children in Schools Act of 
2018''.

SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL GRANTS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY.

    Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 
(34 U.S.C. et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

            ``PART OO--ADDITIONAL GRANTS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY

``SEC. 3040. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director of the Office of Community Oriented 
Policing Services (in this section referred to as the `Director') is 
authorized to make grants to States, units of local government, and 
Indian tribes to provide for the placement and use of metal detectors 
and other screening technologies at schools and on school grounds.
    ``(b) Uses of Funds.--Grants awarded under this section shall be 
distributed directly to the State, unit of local government, or Indian 
tribe, and shall be used to improve security at schools and on school 
grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through the placement and 
use of metal detectors and other screening technologies.
    ``(c) Preferential Consideration.--In awarding grants under this 
subchapter, the Director shall give preferential consideration, if 
feasible, to an application from a jurisdiction that has a demonstrated 
need for improved security, has a demonstrated need for financial 
assistance, and has evidenced the ability to make the improvements for 
which the grant amounts are sought.
    ``(d) Equitable Distribution.--In awarding grants under this 
subchapter, the Director shall ensure, to the extent practicable, an 
equitable geographic distribution among the regions of the United 
States and among urban, suburban, and rural areas.
    ``(e) Administrative Costs.--The Director may reserve not more than 
2 percent from amounts appropriated to carry out this subchapter for 
administrative costs.

``SEC. 3041. APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--To request a grant under this part, the chief 
executive of a State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe shall 
submit an application to the Attorney General at such time, in such 
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Attorney General may 
require. Each application shall--
            ``(1) include a detailed explanation of--
                    ``(A) the intended uses of funds provided under the 
                grant;
                    ``(B) how the activities funded under the grant 
                will meet the purpose of this part; and
                    ``(C) how the school will limit their points of 
                entry to ensure safety; and
            ``(2) be accompanied by an assurance that the application 
        was prepared after consultation with individuals not limited to 
        law enforcement officers (such as school violence researchers, 
        child psychologists, social workers, teachers, principals, and 
        other school personnel) to ensure that the improvements to be 
        funded under the grant are--
                    ``(A) consistent with a comprehensive approach to 
                preventing school violence; and
                    ``(B) individualized to the needs of each school at 
                which those improvements are to be made.
    ``(b) Guidelines.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this part, the Attorney General shall promulgate 
guidelines to implement this section (including the information that 
must be included and the requirements that the States, units of local 
government, and Indian tribes must meet) in submitting the applications 
required under this section.

``SEC. 3042. ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    ``Not later than November 30th of each year, the Attorney General 
shall submit a report to the Congress regarding the activities carried 
out under this part. Each such report shall include, for the preceding 
fiscal year, the number of grants funded under this part, the amount of 
funds provided under those grants, the activities for which those funds 
were used, and the number of weapons detected and confiscated by the 
use of metal detectors and other screening technologies placed and used 
using funds provided under this part.

``SEC. 3043. DEFINITIONS.

    ``For purposes of this part--
            ``(1) the term `school' means a public elementary or 
        secondary school;
            ``(2) the term `unit of local government' means a county, 
        municipality, town, township, village, parish, borough, or 
        other unit of general government below the State level;
            ``(3) the term `Indian tribe' has the same meaning as in 
        section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
        Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)); and
            ``(4) the term `screening technologies' means technologies 
        including--
                    ``(A) walk through metal detection portals;
                    ``(B) stand-off screening technologies;
                    ``(C) explosive trace detection; and
                    ``(D) computed tomography equipment and X-ray 
                imaging equipment for carried and personal belonging 
                screening.

``SEC. 3044. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
$500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2029.''.
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