I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2541 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 6, 2023 Mr. Van Drew (for himself, Mr. Crenshaw , Mr. Barr , Mr. Bacon , Mrs. Miller-Meeks , and Mr. Diaz-Balart ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs , and Education and the Workforce , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To prioritize the hiring and training of veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Safer Schools Act of 2023 . 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 . 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. . 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. . 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. . 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) ).