[106th Congress Public Law 367]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
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[DOCID: f:publ367.106]
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NATIONAL POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE YOUTH ENRICHMENT ACT OF 2000
[[Page 114 STAT. 1412]]
Public Law 106-367
106th Congress
An Act
To improve academic and social <<NOTE: Oct. 27, 2000 - [H.R.
3235]>> outcomes for youth and reduce both juvenile crime and the risk
that youth will become victims of crime by providing productive
activities conducted by law enforcement personnel during nonschool
hours.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in <<NOTE: Natonal Police Athletic League Youth
Enrichment Act of 2000.>> Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 42 USC 13751 note.>> SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Police Athletic League Youth
Enrichment Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 42 USC 13751 note.>> FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The goals of the Police Athletic League are to--
(A) increase the academic success of youth
participants in PAL programs;
(B) promote a safe, healthy environment for youth
under the supervision of law enforcement personnel where
mutual trust and respect can be built;
(C) increase school attendance by providing
alternatives to suspensions and expulsions;
(D) reduce the juvenile crime rate in participating
designated communities and the number of police calls
involving juveniles during nonschool hours;
(E) provide youths with alternatives to drugs,
alcohol, tobacco, and gang activity;
(F) create positive communications and interaction
between youth and law enforcement personnel; and
(G) prepare youth for the workplace.
(2) The Police Athletic League, during its 55-year history
as a national organization, has proven to be a positive force in
the communities it serves.
(3) The Police Athletic League is a network of 1,700
facilities serving over 3,000 communities. There are 320 PAL
chapters throughout the United States, the Virgin Islands, and
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, serving 1,500,000 youths, ages
5 to 18, nationwide.
(4) Based on PAL chapter demographics, approximately 82
percent of the youths who benefit from PAL programs live in
inner cities and urban areas.
(5) PAL chapters are locally operated, volunteer-driven
organizations. Although most PAL chapters are sponsored by a law
enforcement agency, PAL chapters receive no direct funding from
law enforcement agencies and are dependent in
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large part on support from the private sector, such as
individuals, business leaders, corporations, and foundations.
PAL chapters have been exceptionally successful in balancing
public funds with private sector donations and maximizing
community involvement.
(6) Today's youth face far greater risks than did their
parents and grandparents. Law enforcement statistics demonstrate
that youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are at risk of
committing violent acts and being victims of violent acts
between the hours of 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
(7) Greater numbers of students are dropping out of school
and failing in school, even though the consequences of academic
failure are more dire in 1999 than ever before.
(8) Many distressed areas in the United States are still
underserved by PAL chapters.
SEC. 3. <<NOTE: 42 USC 13751 note.>> PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to provide adequate resources in the form
of--
(1) assistance for the 320 established PAL chapters to
increase of services to the communities they are serving; and
(2) seed money for the establishment of 250 (50 per year
over a 5-year period) additional local PAL chapters in public
housing projects and other distressed areas, including
distressed areas with a majority population of Native Americans,
by not later than fiscal year 2006.
SEC. 4. <<NOTE: 42 USC 13751 note.>> DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Assistant attorney general.--The term ``Assistant
Attorney General'' means the Assistant Attorney General for the
Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice.
(2) Distressed area.--The term ``distressed area'' means an
urban, suburban, or rural area with a high percentage of high-
risk youth, as defined in section 509A of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa-8(f )).
(3) PAL chapter.--The term ``PAL chapter'' means a chapter
of a Police or Sheriff's Athletic/Activities League.
(4) Police athletic league.--The term ``Police Athletic
League'' means the private, nonprofit, national representative
organization for 320 Police or Sheriff's Athletic/Activities
Leagues throughout the United States (including the Virgin
Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico).
(5) Public housing; project.--The terms ``public housing''
and ``project'' have the meanings given those terms in section
3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437a(b)).
SEC. 5. <<NOTE: 42 USC 13751 note.>> GRANTS AUTHORIZED.
(a) In General.--Subject to appropriations, for each of fiscal years
2001 through 2005, the Assistant Attorney General shall award a grant to
the Police Athletic League for the purpose of establishing PAL chapters
to serve public housing projects and other distressed areas, and
expanding existing PAL chapters to serve additional youths.
(b) Application.--
(1) Submission.--In order to be eligible to receive a grant
under this section, the Police Athletic League shall submit
[[Page 114 STAT. 1414]]
to the Assistant Attorney General an application, which shall
include--
(A) a long-term strategy to establish 250 additional
PAL chapters and detailed summary of those areas in
which new PAL chapters will be established, or in which
existing chapters will be expanded to serve additional
youths, during the next fiscal year;
(B) a <<NOTE: Deadline.>> plan to ensure that there
are a total of not less than 570 PAL chapters in
operation before January 1, 2004;
(C) a certification that there will be appropriate
coordination with those communities where new PAL
chapters will be located; and
(D) an explanation of the manner in which new PAL
chapters will operate without additional, direct Federal
financial assistance once assistance under this Act is
discontinued.
(2) Review.--The <<NOTE: Deadline.>> Assistant Attorney
General shall review and take action on an application submitted
under paragraph (1) not later than 120 days after the date of
such submission.
SEC. 6. <<NOTE: 42 USC 13751 note.>> USE OF FUNDS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Assistance for new and expanded chapters.--Amounts made
available under a grant awarded under this Act shall be used by
the Police Athletic League to provide funding for the
establishment of PAL chapters serving public housing projects
and other distressed areas, or the expansion of existing PAL
chapters.
(2) Program requirements.--Each new or expanded PAL chapter
assisted under paragraph (1) shall carry out not less than four
programs during nonschool hours, of which--
(A) not less than two programs shall provide--
(i) mentoring assistance;
(ii) academic assistance;
(iii) recreational and athletic activities; or
(iv) technology training; and
(B) any remaining programs shall provide--
(i) drug, alcohol, and gang prevention
activities;
(ii) health and nutrition counseling;
(iii) cultural and social programs;
(iv) conflict resolution training, anger
management, and peer pressure training;
(v) job skill preparation activities; or
(vi) Youth Police Athletic League Conferences
or Youth Forums.
(b) Additional Requirements.--In carrying out the programs under
subsection (a), a PAL chapter shall, to the maximum extent practicable--
(1) use volunteers from businesses, academic communities,
social organizations, and law enforcement organizations to serve
as mentors or to assist in other ways;
(2) ensure that youth in the local community participate in
designing the after-school activities;
(3) develop creative methods of conducting outreach to youth
in the community;
[[Page 114 STAT. 1415]]
(4) request donations of computer equipment and other
materials and equipment; and
(5) work with State and local park and recreation agencies
so that activities funded with amounts made available under a
grant under this Act will not duplicate activities funded from
other sources in the community served.
SEC. 7. <<NOTE: 42 USC 13751 note.>> REPORTS.
(a) Report to Assistant Attorney General.--For each fiscal year for
which a grant is awarded under this Act, the Police Athletic League
shall submit to the Assistant Attorney General a report on the use of
amounts made available under the grant.
(b) Report to <<NOTE: Deadline.>> Congress.--Not later than May 1 of
each fiscal year for which amounts are made available to carry out this
Act, the Assistant Attorney General shall submit to the Committees on
the Judiciary of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report
that details the progress made under this Act in establishing and
expanding PAL chapters in public housing projects and other distressed
areas, and the effectiveness of the PAL programs in reducing drug abuse,
school dropouts, and juvenile crime.
SEC. 8. <<NOTE: 42 USC 13751 note.>> AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act $16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
(b) Funding for Program Administration.--Of the amount made
available to carry out this Act in each fiscal year--
(1) not less than 2 percent shall be used for research and
evaluation of the grant program under this Act;
(2) not less than 1 percent shall be used for technical
assistance related to the use of amounts made available under
grants awarded under this Act; and
(3) not less than 1 percent shall be used for the management
and administration of the grant program under this Act, except
that the total amount made available under this paragraph for
administration of that program shall not exceed 6 percent.
Approved October 27, 2000.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 3235:
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106-859 (Comm. on the Judiciary).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000):
Oct. 2, considered and passed House.
Oct. 13, considered and passed Senate.
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