[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4108 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4108

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to make 
grants to improve security at schools, including the placement and use 
                          of metal detectors.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 28, 2000

    Mr. Rothman (for himself, Mr. Roemer, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Scott, Mr. 
  Hutchinson, Mr. Weiner, Mr. Canady of Florida, Mrs. McCarthy of New 
York, Mr. Conyers, Mrs. Bono, and Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas) 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 make 
grants to improve security at schools, including the placement and use 
                          of metal detectors.

    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 ``Secure Our Schools Act''.

SEC. 2. MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL
              SECURITY.

    Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 
is amended by inserting after part Z the following new part:

         ``PART AA--MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL SECURITY

``SEC. 2701. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance 
is authorized to make grants to States, units of local government, and 
Indian tribes to provide improved security, including the placement and 
use of metal detectors and other deterrent measures, 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 one or more of the 
following:
            ``(1) Placement and use of metal detectors, locks, 
        lighting, and other deterrent measures.
            ``(2) Security assessments.
            ``(3) Security training of personnel and students.
            ``(4) Coordination with local law enforcement.
            ``(5) Any other measure that, in the determination of the 
        Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, may provide a 
        significant improvement in security.
    ``(c) Preferential Consideration.--In awarding grants under this 
part, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance 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) Matching Funds.--The portion of the costs of a program 
provided by a grant under subsection (a) may not exceed 50 percent. Any 
funds appropriated by Congress for the activities of any agency of an 
Indian tribal government or the Bureau of Indian Affairs performing law 
enforcement functions on any Indian lands may be used to provide the 
non-Federal share of a matching requirement funded under this 
subsection.
    ``(e) Equitable Distribution.--In awarding grants under this part, 
the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance shall ensure, to the 
extent practicable, an equitable geographic distribution among the 
regions of the United States and among urban, suburban, and rural 
areas.
    ``(f) Administrative Costs.--The Director of the Bureau of Justice 
Assistance may reserve not more than 2 percent from amounts 
appropriated to carry out this Act for administrative costs.

``SEC. 2702. 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 Director of the Bureau of Justice 
Assistance at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
information as the Director may require. Each application shall include 
a detailed explanation of--
            ``(1) the intended uses of funds provided under the grant; 
        and
            ``(2) how the activities funded under the grant will meet 
        the purpose of this part.
    ``(b) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this part, the Director of the Bureau of Justice 
Assistance shall promulgate regulations 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. 2703. ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    ``Not later than November 30th of each year, the Director of the 
Bureau of Justice Assistance 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, and the activities for which those funds were used.

``SEC. 2704. DEFINITIONS.

    ``For purposes of this part--
            ``(1) the term `State' means each of the 50 States, the 
        District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
        United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the 
        Northern Mariana Islands;
            ``(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; and
            ``(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)).

``SEC. 2705. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
the following amounts:
            ``(1) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2001.
            ``(2) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2002.
            ``(3) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2003.''.
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