Law enforcement emergencies

Section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)) is amended— (1)by redesignating paragraphs (9) through (15) as paragraphs (10) through (16), respectively; (2)by inserting after paragraph (8) the following:

(9)(A)Each institution of higher education participating in any program under this title shall develop and distribute as part of the report described in paragraph (1)— (i)a statement of policy regarding the institution’s law enforcement emergency response program; and (ii)statistics concerning the occurrence of law enforcement emergencies on the campus of the institution. (B)In this paragraph: (i)The term campus has the meaning given the term in paragraph 6(A)(i), except that the term includes— (I)a noncampus building or property, as defined in paragraph (6)(A)(ii), of an institution of higher education; and (II)any public property, as defined in paragraph (6)(A)(iii), of an institution of higher education. (ii)The term law enforcement emergency means a shooting, the presence of an armed and dangerous person, a bomb threat, the presence of an unauthorized hazardous or toxic material that poses a threat to health and safety, a lock-down, a reverse evacuation, or any other comparable type of incident, on the campus of an institution of higher education, that involves the participation of one or more law enforcement agencies. (C)The policy described in subparagraph (A) shall address the following: (i)Procedures students, employees, and others on the campus of the institution will be directed to follow if a law enforcement emergency occurs. (ii)Procedures the institution and law enforcement agencies will follow to inform students, employees, and others on the campus of the institution about a law enforcement emergency on the campus and will follow to direct the actions of the students, employees, and others. Such procedures may include e-mail alerts, telephone alerts, text-message alerts, radio announcements, television alerts, audible alert signals, and public address announcements. (D)Each institution participating in any program under this title shall test the institution’s law enforcement emergency response policy and procedures on at least an annual basis. (E)Each institution participating in any program under this title shall make reports to the students, employees, and others on the campus of the institution, not later than 30 minutes after the discovery of a law enforcement emergency on the campus, through the procedures described in subparagraph (C)(ii). (F)The Secretary and the Attorney General shall jointly have the authority— (i)to review, monitor, and ensure compliance with this paragraph; (ii)to advise institutions of higher education on model law enforcement emergency response policies, procedures, and practices; and (iii)to disseminate information concerning those policies, procedures, and practices. (G)

Campus law enforcement emergency response grants

(i)

Program authority

The Secretary may make grants to institutions of higher education or consortia of such institutions, or enter into contracts with such institutions, consortia, and other organizations, to develop, implement, operate, improve, test, or disseminate campus law enforcement emergency response policies, procedures, or programs. (ii)

Awards

Grants and contracts under this subparagraph shall be awarded— (I)on a competitive basis; and (II)for a period not to exceed 1 year. (iii)

Applications

An institution of higher education, a consortium, or an organization that desires to receive a grant or enter into a contract under this subparagraph shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require by regulation. (iv)

Participation

In awarding grants and contracts under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall make every effort to ensure— (I)the equitable participation of institutions of higher education that are eligible to participate in programs under this title; (II)the equitable geographic participation of such institutions; and (III)the equitable participation of such institutions with large and small enrollments. (v)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subparagraph $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.