A bill to safeguard America's schools by using community policing strategies to prevent school violence and improve student and school safety.

Bill: 113-s-148
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2013-01-24
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child safety and welfare

Educational facilities and institutions

Elementary and secondary education

Law enforcement administration and funding

Law enforcement officers

School administration
Latest action: action_date: 2013-01-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-01-24
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to make grants to local governments and Indian tribes to provide for school resource and safety officers at schools. Defines a &quot;school resource and safety officer&quot; as a career law enforcement officer who is assigned by the employing police department to protect schools and who works in and around schools for not less than 75% of the time the officer is on duty. </p> <p>Requires the Director to: (1) establish guidelines for programs that train school resource and safety officers, and (2) ensure an equitable geographic distribution of grants among regions of the United States and among urban, suburban, and rural areas.</p> <p>Limits grants to: (1) $200,000 for each officer proposed to be hired or each training program proposed to be funded, subject to a waiver; and (2) three fiscal years. Authorizes the Director to make available additional funds if the funds were used in the manner required and the recipient demonstrates significant financial need. </p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 148 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 24 (legislative day, January 3), 2013 Mrs. Boxer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To safeguard America’s schools by using community policing strategies to prevent school violence and improve student and school safety.

1. School resource and safety officer grant program Part AA of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3797a et seq. ) is amended— (1) by striking the heading and inserting School security grants ; (2) by inserting before section 2701 the following: 1 Matching grant program for school security ; (3) in sections 2701 through 2705, by striking part each place that term appears and inserting subpart ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: 2 School resource and safety officer grant program 2711. Definitions In this subpart— (1) the term career law enforcement officer has the meaning given the term in section 1709; (2) the term Director means the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; (3) the term Indian tribe has the meaning given the term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)); (4) the term school means a public elementary or secondary school; (5) the term school resource and safety officer means a career law enforcement officer, with sworn authority, deployed in community oriented policing, and assigned by the employing police department or agency to protect schools, who works in and around schools for not less than 75 percent of the time that the officer is on duty (measured weekly, monthly, or annually); and (6) 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. 2712. Program authorized (a) In general The Director is authorized to make grants to units of local government and Indian tribes to provide for school resource and safety officers at schools. (b) Uses of funds Grants awarded under this section shall be— (1) distributed directly to a unit of local government or Indian tribe; and (2) used to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the recipient by hiring and training career law enforcement officers for deployment in schools as school resource and safety officers. (c) Maximum amount per officer or training program (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amount of a grant may not exceed $200,000 for each— (A) school resource and safety officer proposed to be hired; or (B) training program proposed to be funded. (2) Waiver The Director may issue a waiver of the requirement under paragraph (1) for a recipient of a grant under this subpart. (d) Duration (1) In general The Director may make available funds under a grant under this subpart during a period of not more than 3 fiscal years. (2) Renewal Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Director may continue to make available additional funds to a recipient after all funds under the original grant have been made available if the Director determines that— (A) the funds made available to the recipient were used in a manner required under an approved application; and (B) the recipient demonstrates significant financial need. (e) Limitation on use of funds (1) Nonsupplanting Funds made available under this subpart to a unit of local government shall not be used to supplant funds of the unit of local government, or, in the case of an Indian tribe, funds supplied by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and shall be used to increase the amount of funds that would, in the absence of Federal funds received under this subpart, be made available from the unit of local government, or in the case of an Indian tribe, from funds supplied by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. (2) Administrative costs The Director may reserve not more than 2 percent from amounts appropriated to carry out this subpart for administrative costs. (f) Training (1) Establishment of guidelines The Director shall establish guidelines for programs that train school resource and safety officers. (2) Specific requirements In establishing guidelines under paragraph (1), the Director shall ensure that the guidelines address how to— (A) distinguish between— (i) minor disciplinary infractions better dealt with by school officials; and (ii) major security problems that require law enforcement involvement; and (B) utilize alternatives to law enforcement involvement in school disciplinary measures. (g) Equitable distribution In awarding grants under this subpart, 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. 2713. Applications (a) In general To request a grant under this subpart, the chief executive of a unit of local government or Indian tribe shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Director may require. (b) Contents of applications Each application under this section shall— (1) include a detailed explanation of— (A) the intended uses of funds made available under a grant; and (B) how the activities funded under a grant will prevent school violence and improve student and school safety; (2) describe the ability of the applicant to prevent school violence and improve student and school safety without Federal assistance; and (3) include a memorandum of understanding between the law enforcement agency supplying the school resource and safety officer and the grant recipient that describes the disciplinary actions that are the exclusive responsibilities of school staff and faculty. (c) Guidelines Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this subpart, the Director shall promulgate guidelines to implement this section. 2714. Reports (a) Director report Not later than November 30 of each year, the Director shall submit to Congress a report relating to the activities carried out under this subpart that includes, for the preceding fiscal year— (1) the number of grants funded under this subpart; (2) the amount of funds made available under the grants described in paragraph (1); and (3) the number of school resource and safety officers that the funds described in paragraph (2) supported. (b) Grant recipient report For each year during which a recipient receives funds under this subpart, the recipient shall, at a date determined by the Director, submit to the Director a report relating to the activities carried out by the recipient that includes information, as determined by the Director, relating to the use of funds. 2715. Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subpart such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023. .