[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2541 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2541
To prioritize the hiring and training of veterans and retired law
enforcement officers as school resource officers, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
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
2023''.
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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