Title: Kenneth P. Thompson Civic Justice Corps Act of 2020
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Kenneth P. Thompson Civic Justice Corps Act of 2020
This bill requires the Department of Justice to award grants to one or more national intermediaries (i.e., nonprofit organizations with experience in programs that deliver education and work experience to certain disadvantaged youth) to develop, implement, and collect data from Civic Justice Corps programs administered by at least ten local subgrantees in specified geographic regions. Such programs shall intentionally recruit and primarily enroll as participants court-involved, previously incarcerated, and otherwise disadvantaged youth and young adults between the ages of 16 and 25, and provide such participants with educational programming and support designed to lead to a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8577 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8577

To provide grants for Civic Justice Corps programs for court-involved, 
 previously incarcerated, and otherwise disadvantaged youth and young 
                                adults.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 9, 2020

Ms. Velazquez (for herself and Ms. Meng) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide grants for Civic Justice Corps programs for court-involved, 
 previously incarcerated, and otherwise disadvantaged youth and young 
                                adults.

    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 ``Kenneth P. Thompson Civic Justice 
Corps Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to develop, implement, and expand 
educational and work experience opportunities for court-involved, 
previously incarcerated, and otherwise disadvantaged youth and young 
adults through service and conservation corps and other community-based 
service organizations.

SEC. 3. CIVIC JUSTICE CORPS GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General shall award grants to one or 
more national intermediaries to develop, implement, and collect data 
from Civic Justice Corps programs administered by no fewer than ten 
local subgrantees in the geographic regions established under 
subsection (k)(2).
    (b) Application.--A national intermediary that desires a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, including, at a 
minimum that--
            (1) contains such agreements, assurances, and information, 
        is in such form, and is submitted in such manner, as the 
        Attorney General shall by rule require;
            (2) includes a long-term strategy and detailed 
        implementation plan that reflects consultation with community 
        groups and appropriate community stakeholders;
            (3) explains the national intermediary's inability to 
        address the need without Federal assistance;
            (4) identifies related governmental and community 
        initiatives which compliment, or will be coordinated with, the 
        proposal;
            (5) identifies jurisdictions where the national 
        intermediary intends to supervise local subgrantees, and 
        includes a description of the local service providers and 
        nonprofit organizations that have substantial or significant 
        experience dealing with court-involved, previously 
        incarcerated, and otherwise disadvantaged youth;
            (6) provides details on the intended methodologies 
        employing scientifically based research methods, to be used for 
        data collection purposes for current participants and 
        postprogram participants; and
            (7) subject to paragraph (8), an assurance that, if the 
        local subgrantee or national intermediary receives a grant, or 
        a renewal of such grant under this section, the local 
        subgrantee or national intermediary will develop a plan to 
        secure other public or private funding resources to ensure the 
        continued operation and maintenance of the program after funds 
        under such grant, or renewal, are no longer available.
            (8) The Secretary shall waive the requirement under 
        paragraph (7) for the local subgrantee or national intermediary 
        if the local grantee or national intermediary demonstrates that 
        complying with such requirement would create an undue burden 
        that would result in significant disruption of the Civic 
        Justice Corps program.
            (9) For the purposes of an application under this 
        subsection, the term ``scientifically based research methods'' 
        means research methods that--
                    (A) apply rigorous, systematic, and objective 
                procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to court-
                involved, previously incarcerated, and otherwise 
                disadvantaged youth and young adults; and
                    (B) rely on measurements or observational methods 
                that provide data across multiple measurements and 
                observations.
    (c) Preferential Consideration of Applications.--From among the 
applications submitted by national intermediaries under subsection (b), 
the Secretary shall provide preference on the basis of--
            (1) the effectiveness of the data collection methodologies 
        submitted under subsection (b)(6);
            (2) the assurances made under subsection (b)(1); and
            (3) relevant data specific to the local jurisdictions where 
        the national intermediary intends to enter into partnership 
        with local subgrantees, which illustrate the need for a Civic 
        Justice Corps program, including--
                    (A) unemployment rates;
                    (B) poverty rates;
                    (C) crime rates;
                    (D) other factors as the Attorney General, after 
                consultation with appropriate agencies of the 
                Government, may identify, including average household 
                income, labor force participation, and educational 
                attainment; and
                    (E) additional criteria as determined by the 
                Attorney General.
    (d) Grant and Subgrant Periods.--Each grant awarded to a national 
intermediary, and each subgrant awarded to a local subgrantee, under 
this section shall be for a period of 5 years.
    (e) Use of Grant Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Each national intermediary receiving a 
        grant under this section shall make at least ten subgrants to 
        local subgrantees to carry out Civil Justice Corps programs 
        that implement the Civil Justice Corps Model described in 
        section 4(1) with the funds provided under such subgrant.
            (2) Reservation.--Each national intermediary receiving a 
        grant under this section shall reserve--
                    (A) not less than 90 percent for subgrants to local 
                subgrantees; and
                    (B) not more than 10 percent for training and 
                technical assistance to, and data collection from, such 
                local subgrantees.
    (f) Use of Subgrants.--An entity receiving a subgrant under this 
section shall use the funds made available through such subgrant to 
carry out a Civic Justice Corps program that implements the Civic 
Justice Corps Model. Such program shall include the provision of 
educational programming and support to participants, which may 
include--
            (1) basic instruction and remedial education;
            (2) language instruction for individuals with limited 
        English proficiency;
            (3) secondary education services and activities, including 
        dropout prevention, tutoring, and other activities;
            (4) preparation for and access to postsecondary education 
        opportunities, including counseling and assistance with 
        applying for student financial aid;
            (5) work readiness training, which may include--
                    (A) development of basic skills, such as--
                            (i) arriving on time to work;
                            (ii) being prepared to work;
                            (iii) working independently;
                            (iv) working with others;
                            (v) working safely; and
                            (vi) demonstrating a commitment to produce 
                        high-quality work;
                    (B) development of job-specific occupational skills 
                and on-the-job training; and
                    (C) assessment of skills, career counseling, and 
                job search assistance; and
            (6) development and monitoring of individual education and 
        career plans.
    (g) Renewal of Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General may renew a grant 
        awarded under this Act with respect to an eligible national 
        intermediary if the national intermediary--
                    (A) submits to the Attorney General an application 
                for renewal at such time, in such manner, and 
                containing such information as the Secretary may 
                require; and
                    (B) demonstrates in such application that grant 
                funds made available to the national intermediary were 
                used in a manner required under the most recently 
                approved application under this Act. A grant made under 
                this part may be renewed, without limitations on the 
                duration of such renewal, to provide additional funds, 
                if the Attorney General determines that the funds made 
                available to the recipient were used in a manner 
                required under an approved application and if the 
                recipient can demonstrate significant progress in 
                achieving the objectives of the initial application.
            (2) Duration.--An initial renewal under this subsection 
        shall, at minimum, be for a period of 3 years. Any subsequent 
        renewal provided thereafter shall be for a period of 1 year.
    (h) No-Cost Extensions.--Notwithstanding subsection (g), the 
Attorney General may extend a grant period, without limitations as to 
the duration of such extension, to provide additional time to complete 
the objectives of the initial grant award.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out this section $35,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
        2020 through 2030.
            (2) Availability.--Funds authorized to be appropriated 
        under this section may remain available until expended.
    (j) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds received under this Act 
shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal funds for 
the population established under section 2.
    (k) Geographic Distribution of Grants.--
            (1) In general.--A national intermediary shall select at 
        least one local subgrantee located in any of the geographic 
        regions in paragraph (2).
            (2) Geographic regions.--A national intermediary applying 
        for a grant must provide a subgrant to a local subgrantee in 
        any one of the following geographic regions:
                    (A) Region I shall comprise the States of 
                Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode 
                Island, and Vermont.
                    (B) Region II shall comprise the States of New 
                Jersey and New York, and the Virgin Islands of the 
                United States and Puerto Rico.
                    (C) Region III shall comprise the District of 
                Columbia, and the States of Maryland, Pennsylvania, 
                Virginia, and West Virginia.
                    (D) Region IV shall comprise the States of Alabama, 
                Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North 
                Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
                    (E) Region V shall comprise the States of Illinois, 
                Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
                    (F) Region VI shall comprise the States of 
                Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
                    (G) Region VII shall comprise the States of Iowa, 
                Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
                    (H) Region VIII shall comprise the States of 
                Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, 
                and Wyoming.
                    (I) Region IX shall comprise American Samoa, Guam, 
                and the States of Arizona, California, Hawaii, and 
                Nevada.
                    (J) Region X shall comprise the States of Alaska, 
                Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
            (3) Minimum number of grants in each region.--The Secretary 
        shall award not less than one grant to any jurisdiction within 
        each of the ten regions specified under paragraph (2).
            (4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
        construed to limit an individual State or local jurisdiction 
        within a State, from receiving multiple grants, renewals, or 
        no-cost extensions, under this Act.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Civic justice corps model.--The term ``Civic Justice 
        Corps Model'' refers to programs that--
                    (A) intentionally recruit and primarily enroll as 
                participants in the program court-involved, previously 
                incarcerated, and otherwise disadvantaged youth and 
                young adults between the ages of 16 and 25;
                    (B) provide such participants with educational 
                programming and support designed to lead to a high 
                school diploma or its recognized equivalent;
                    (C) provide such participants with assessment, 
                career planning, workforce readiness, and service or 
                work experience designed to lead to unsubsidized 
                employment, enrollment in postsecondary education or an 
                apprenticeship program, the obtainment of an industry-
                recognized credential, or some other type of career 
                pathway program, including military service;
                    (D) demonstrate relationships with local criminal, 
                juvenile justice, and other social service agencies and 
                provide a range of supportive and transitional services 
                to participants;
                    (E) engage participants in relevant, necessary, and 
                team-based community service projects designed to 
                instill life and jobs skills and long-term civic 
                engagement;
                    (F) demonstrate relationships with local boards (as 
                such term is defined in section 101 of the Workforce 
                Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801)) and local 
                employers and can provide participants with appropriate 
                postprogram placements;
                    (G) require participants to be enrolled in the 
                program for not less than 6 months, and provide 
                participants with at least 12 months of postprogram 
                support and services; and
                    (H) collect postprogram data for at least the 12 
                months after such participants complete the program.
            (2) Local subgrantee.--The term ``local subgrantee'' refers 
        to a service and conservation corps or other community-based 
        service organization that--
                    (A) has been competitively selected by a national 
                intermediary to carry out a Civic Justice Corps program 
                that implements the Civic Justice Corps Model; and
                    (B) demonstrates--
                            (i) a local need for a Civic Justice Corps 
                        program;
                            (ii) the ability to recruit and enroll 
                        court-involved, previously incarcerated, and 
                        otherwise disadvantaged youth and young adults 
                        between the ages of 16 and 25;
                            (iii) the ability to provide the education, 
                        workforce development, service and work 
                        experience, and supportive and followup 
                        services described in paragraph (1);
                            (iv) relationships with local criminal, 
                        juvenile justice, and social service agencies;
                            (v) relationships with local boards (as 
                        such term is defined in section 101 of the 
                        Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 
                        2801)) and employers and the ability to place 
                        participants upon program completion; and
                            (vi) the ability to collect data and report 
                        on the performance measures described in 
                        section 5(b).
            (3) National intermediary.--The term ``national 
        intermediary'' means a national nonprofit organization that--
                    (A) has experience in developing and administering 
                programs that collaborate with community-based 
                organizations to deliver education and work experience 
                to court-involved, formerly incarcerated, and otherwise 
                disadvantaged youth;
                    (B) demonstrates an ability to administer a 
                competitive subgrant process that will result in the 
                selection of no less than ten geographically diverse 
                local subgrantees to carry out Civil Justice Corps 
                programs that implement the Civic Justice Corps Model;
                    (C) demonstrates an ability to provide training and 
                technical assistance to subgrantees; and
                    (D) has the ability to collect information from the 
                subgrantees on the performance measures described in 
                section 5(b) and report such information to the 
                Attorney General on an annual basis.
            (4) Service and conservation corps.--The term ``service and 
        conservation corps'' means any State or local service or 
        conservation corps, including a service or conservation corps 
        carried out under the national service laws.

SEC. 5. REPORTS.

    (a) Annual Reports to the Attorney General.--Each national 
intermediary receiving a grant under this Act shall submit a report 
annually to the Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and 
providing such information as the Attorney General may require, 
including information on the performance measures reported by 
subgrantees in accordance with subsection (b).
    (b) Subgrantee Reports on Performance Measures.--Each entity 
receiving a subgrant under this section shall annually report to the 
national intermediary that awarded such subgrant on the following 
performance measures of participant progress:
            (1) The obtainment of a high school diploma, a recognized 
        equivalent, or some other industry-recognized credential.
            (2) Postprogram placement for each participant in one of 
        the following, and total postprogram placement rates for each 
        of the following:
                    (A) Unsubsidized employment.
                    (B) Postsecondary education.
                    (C) A registered apprenticeship or further job 
                training.
                    (D) A career pathway program, including military 
                service.
            (3) Postprogram recidivism rates.

SEC. 6. RULEMAKING.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Attorney General shall, through notice and comment rulemaking, 
establish a process for providing national intermediaries a fair 
hearing and appellate review regarding any decision by the Attorney 
General to deny, renew, or terminate a grant provided under this Act.
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