Historic Schools Preservation Act

Historic Schools Preservation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to carry out a pilot program for historic schools preservation.

Authorizes program grants to up to ten States for subgrants to local educational agencies singly or in consortium, or in partnership with nonprofit organizations or local businesses. Requires use of such funds to: (1) conduct independent assessments of the cost of renovating historic school structures; or (2) evaluate whether to renovate such structures rather than build new ones.

[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4045 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4045

To authorize the Secretary of Education to carry out a pilot program to 
        promote the preservation of historic school structures.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 20, 2002

   Mr. Hill introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of Education to carry out a pilot program to 
        promote the preservation of historic school structures.

    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 ``Historic Schools Preservation Act''.

SEC. 2. HISTORIC SCHOOL STRUCTURE PRESERVATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--In accordance with this section, the Secretary may 
make grants to not more than 10 States to promote the preservation of 
historic school structures.
    (b) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), each 
        State receiving a grant under this section shall use the 
        proceeds of such grant to make grants to eligible entities 
        for--
                    (A) conducting independent assessments of the cost 
                of renovating historic school structures; or
                    (B) evaluating whether to renovate historic school 
                structures rather than build new school structures.
            (2) Entities eligible for state grants.--Each of the 
        following entities shall be eligible to receive a grant made by 
        a State under paragraph (1):
                    (A) A local educational agency.
                    (B) A consortium of local educational agencies.
                    (C) A partnership between a local educational 
                agency, or a consortium of such agencies, and any 
                number of public or private nonprofit organizations or 
                local businesses.
            (3) Administrative costs.--A State receiving a grant under 
        this section may use not more than 5 percent of the proceeds of 
        such grant for administrative costs.
    (c) Selection Considerations.--In evaluating a State's application 
for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall consider--
            (1) the number of communities and historic school 
        structures in the State that could benefit from the grant;
            (2) the age, condition, and historic value of such schools; 
        and
            (3) the quality of eligible entities to whom the State 
        could make grants in accordance with subsection (b)(1).
    (d) Unused Funds.--
            (1) In general.--As a condition of receipt of a grant under 
        this section, the Secretary shall require the State receiving 
        such grant to return to the Secretary any proceeds of the grant 
        that the State fails to use in accordance with subsection (b) 
        before the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year in 
        which the State receives the grant from the Secretary.
            (2) Deposit.--The Secretary shall deposit any funds 
        returned under paragraph (1) into the general fund of the 
        Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.
    (e) Report.--For each fiscal year for which a State receives a 
grant under this section, the Secretary shall require the State to 
transmit to the Secretary a report describing--
            (1) how the proceeds of the grant were used; and
            (2) the recipients of the grants made by the State as 
        required under subsection (b)(1).
    (f) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Historic school structure.--The term ``historic school 
        structure'' means any school building or facility that--
                    (A) is listed on the National Register of Historic 
                Places authorized under section 101 of the National 
                Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a); or
                    (B) is eligible to be listed on such National 
                Register, as determined by the State historic 
                preservation officer of the State in which the school 
                is located.
            (2) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given that term in section 9101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2003 
and such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.
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