117 HR 4780 IH: Language Access to Gun Violence Prevention Strategies Act of 2023
U.S. House of Representatives
2023-07-20
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I
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4780
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2023
Ms. Chu (for herself, Ms. Norton, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Crockett, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Takano, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Kildee, Mrs. Foushee, and Mr. Moskowitz) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 remove linguistic barriers to participation in Gun Violence Prevention Strategies.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Language Access to Gun Violence Prevention Strategies Act of 2023”.
2.

Definitions
In this Act:
(1)

Community-based organization
The term community-based organization means a neighborhood or community-based organization, as that term is defined in section 901 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10251).
(2)

Extreme risk protection order
The term extreme risk protection order means a written order or warrant, issued by a State or Tribal court or signed by a magistrate (or other comparable judicial officer), the primary purpose of which is to reduce the risk of firearm-related death or injury by doing 1 or more of the following:
(A)
Temporarily prohibiting a named individual from owning, purchasing, possessing, receiving, or having under the custody or control of the individual, a firearm.
(B)
Having a firearm temporarily removed or requiring the temporary surrender of a firearm from a named individual.
(3)

Firearm
The term firearm has the meaning given the term in section 921 of title 18, United States Code.
(4)

Gun violence
The term gun violence includes mass shooting incidents, other firearm homicides or assaults, firearm suicides or self-harm, unintentional firearm deaths and injuries, and firearm-related crime.
(5)

Gun violence prevention strategy
The term Gun Violence Prevention Strategy means programs, policies, or practices that have the potential to reduce firearm-related violence, injuries, death, or crime within populations or settings experiencing elevated risk.
(6)

Individual with limited English proficiency
The term individual with limited English proficiency means an individual who does not speak English as the individual's primary language and has a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English.
(7)

Language access
The term language access means the provision of culturally competent and effective language services to an individual with limited English proficiency designed to enhance that individual’s access to, understanding of, or benefit from the services, activities, programs, or benefits provided by a Federal agency.
(8)

Limited English proficient population
The term limited English proficient population means the sum of all individuals with limited English proficiency.
(9)

Priority languages
The term priority languages means, at a minimum, the 10 most commonly spoken languages in the United States other than English, which shall include Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, and Korean.
(10)

Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(11)

Significant resource
The term significant resource means, in the case of a Federal agency, any material, digital or otherwise, prepared by the Federal agency that contains information critical for education, awareness, and participation in public education campaigns, such as informational and outreach materials.
3.

Translation of Federal agency materials
(a)

In general
The Attorney General and the Secretary shall ensure that all significant resources for services, activities, benefits, and programs of the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, respectively, that are prepared for the general public relating to gun violence prevention and firearm safety are competently translated and provided in accessible formats in priority languages.
(b)

Specific resources
The significant resources described in subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
extreme risk protection orders and safe gun storage materials; and
(2)
significant resources prepared using amounts appropriated under division B of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (Public Law 117–159; 136 Stat. 1338) for Federal grant programs and other activities carried out by the Attorney General and the Secretary that were in effect as of the date of enactment of that Act to support mental health services, crisis response, school-based mental health, and suicide prevention.
(c)

Community review
(1)

In general
For the purpose of ensuring that significant resources described in subsection (a) are culturally competent and accessible by the intended audience, the Attorney General and the Secretary shall ensure all translated materials are reviewed by community-based organizations with demonstrated relationships with speakers of a given language prior to publishing.
(2)

Funding
The Attorney General and the Secretary shall provide amounts appropriated to carry out this Act to community-based organizations to carry out paragraph (1).
4.

Priority grant applications
(a)

In general
The Attorney General shall ensure that applications for grants for the creation and implementation of extreme risk protection orders, State crisis intervention court proceedings, and other gun violence reduction efforts incorporate meaningful engagement with limited English proficient populations by giving priority to applications that demonstrate a targeted outreach plan.
(b)

Public outreach and education efforts
Section 501 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10152) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(1)(I)(iv)—
(A)
in subclause (III), by striking “and” at the end;
(B)
in subclause (IV), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
“(V)
public outreach and education efforts, which shall include—
- (aa)
meaningful engagement with community-based organizations directly serving limited English proficient populations (as defined in section 2 of the Language Access to Gun Violence Prevention Strategies Act of 2023); and
- (bb)
translation of public facing documents into any language other than English spoken by a limited English proficient population that constitutes not less than 3 percent or 500 individuals, whichever is less, of the population served or encountered.”; and
(2)
in subsection (h)—
(A)
in paragraph (3), by striking “and” at the end;
(B)
in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
“(5)
measures that have been taken by each grant recipient to comply with subsection (a)(1)(I)(iv)(V).”.
(c)

Guidance
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall issue guidance related to the requirements set forth in subsections (a)(1)(I)(iv)(V) and (h)(5) of section 501 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10152), as added by subsection (b).
5.

Department of Justice gun violence prevention public awareness campaign
(a)

In general
For the purpose of increasing language access to community-based gun violence prevention strategies, the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office of Justice Programs, and in coordination with the Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative of the Office of Justice Programs, shall develop and implement a national public awareness campaign to increase awareness of federally supported gun violence prevention strategies, such as extreme risk protection orders, with a focus on outreach and engagement with limited English proficient populations.
(b)

Requirements
The public awareness campaign under this section shall include—
(1)
the provision of in-language and culturally appropriate messaging to disseminate scientific and evidence-based information; and
(2)
the dissemination of information on subgrants to community-based organizations educating professionals and community stakeholders.
(c)

Coordination
The public awareness campaign under this section shall be complementary to, and coordinated with, any other Federal, State, Tribal, and local efforts, as appropriate.
(d)

Reports to Congress
The Attorney General shall submit a report to Congress detailing how funds appropriated to carry out this section were used.
6.

Department of Heath and Human Services gun violence prevention public awareness campaign
(a)

In general
For the purpose of increasing language access to gun violence prevention strategies, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in coordination with the Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, shall develop and implement a national public education campaign to increase awareness of gun violence prevention strategies and firearm safety programs supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as safe gun storage practices, with a focus on outreach and engagement with limited English proficient populations.
(b)

Requirements
The public awareness campaign under this section shall include—
(1)
the provision of in-language and culturally appropriate messaging to disseminate scientific and evidence-based information related to gun violence prevention and firearm safety; and
(2)
the dissemination of information on subgrants to community-based organizations educating professionals and community stakeholders.
(c)

Coordination
The public awareness campaign under this section shall be complementary to, and coordinated with, any other Federal, State, Tribal, and local efforts, as appropriate.
(d)

Reports to Congress
The Secretary shall submit a report to Congress detailing how funds appropriated to carry out this section were used.
7.

Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025.