Servicemember Assistance for Lawful Understanding, Treatment, and Education Act or the SALUTE Act - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Attorney General to award grants for developing, implementing, or enhancing veterans' treatment courts or expanding operational mental health or drug courts to serve veterans to ensure that such courts effectively integrate substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, sanctions and incentives, and transitional services, in a judicially supervised court setting with jurisdiction over offenders who are veterans.
Authorizes the Attorney General to award such grants to states, state courts, local courts, local governments, and Indian tribal governments for court programs that involve: (1) continuing judicial supervision over offenders who are veterans with substance abuse or mental health problems; (2) coordination with appropriate federal, state, or local prosecutors; (3) coordination with the Veterans Health Administration; and (4) the integrated administration of other sanctions and services, including substance abuse and mental health treatment, supervised release involving the possibility of prosecution, confinement, or incarceration based on non-compliance with program requirements or failure to show satisfactory progress, and offender management. Prohibits the use of grant funds to provide judicial supervision over, treatment of, or other services to violent offenders.
Sets forth application and reporting requirements.
Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study to assess the effectiveness and impact of such grant program.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2187 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2187
To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to
authorize veterans' treatment courts and encourage services for
veterans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 23, 2013
Mr. Meehan (for himself, Mr. Carney, Mr. Renacci, Mr. Delaney, Mr.
Owens, Mr. Grimm, Mr. Bucshon, Mr. Yoder, and Mr. Fattah) 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
authorize veterans' treatment courts and encourage services for
veterans.
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 ``Servicemember Assistance for Lawful
Understanding, Treatment, and Education Act'' or the ``SALUTE Act''.
SEC. 2. VETERANS' TREATMENT COURTS.
Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968
(42 U.S.C. 3711 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating part JJ, as added by section 952 of
Public Law 110-315 (relating to Loan Repayment for Prosecutors
and Public Defenders), as part LL, and moving such part so that
such part follows part KK;
(2) in part LL, as so redesignated and moved by paragraph
(1), by redesignating section 3001 as section 3021; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new part:
``PART MM--VETERANS' TREATMENT COURTS
``SEC. 3031. GRANT AUTHORITY.
``(a) In General.--The Attorney General is authorized to award
grants for developing, implementing, or enhancing veterans' treatment
courts or expanding operational mental health or drug courts to serve
veterans to ensure that such courts effectively integrate substance
abuse treatment, mental health treatment, sanctions and incentives, and
transitional services, in a judicially supervised court setting with
jurisdiction over offenders who are veterans. The Attorney General may
award such grants to States, State courts, local courts, units of local
government, and Indian tribal governments, acting directly or through
agreements with other public or private entities, for court programs
that involve--
``(1) continuing judicial supervision over offenders who
are veterans with substance abuse or mental health problems;
``(2) coordination with appropriate Federal, State, or
local prosecutors;
``(3) coordination with the Veterans Health Administration;
and
``(4) the integrated administration of other sanctions and
services, which shall include--
``(A) substance abuse and mental health treatment
(such as treatment for depression, traumatic brain
injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder) for each
participant who requires such treatment;
``(B) diversion, probation, or other supervised
release involving the possibility of prosecution,
confinement, or incarceration based on non-compliance
with program requirements or failure to show
satisfactory progress; and
``(C) offender management, which may include
aftercare services such as relapse prevention, health
care, education, vocational training, job placement,
housing placement, and child care or other family
support services for each participant who requires such
services.
``(b) Limitation on Use of Funds.--Grant funds made available under
this part may not be used to provide judicial supervision over,
treatment of, or other services to violent offenders. A State, State
court, local court, unit of local government, or Indian tribal
government that receives a grant under this part may provide such
supervision, treatment, or services to violent offenders who are
otherwise eligible for veterans' treatment court participation only if
such supervision, treatment, or services are funded exclusively with
non-Federal funds.
``SEC. 3032. ADMINISTRATION.
``(a) Consultation.--In awarding grants under this part, the
Attorney General shall consult with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
and any other appropriate officials.
``(b) Regulatory Authority.--The Attorney General may, in
consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, issue regulations
and guidelines necessary to carry out this part.
``(c) Applications.--In addition to any other requirements that may
be specified by the Attorney General, in consultation with the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, an application for a grant under this
part shall--
``(1) include a long-term strategy and implementation plan
that shall provide for the consultation and coordination with
appropriate Federal, State and local prosecutors, particularly
when veterans' treatment court participants fail to comply with
program requirements;
``(2) explain the applicant's inability to fund the
veterans' treatment court adequately without Federal
assistance;
``(3) certify that the Federal support provided will be
used to supplement, and not supplant, State, tribal, and local
sources of funding that would otherwise be available;
``(4) identify related governmental or community
initiatives that complement or will be coordinated with the
veterans' treatment court;
``(5) certify that there has been appropriate consultation
with all affected agencies and that there will be appropriate
coordination with all affected agencies in the implementation
of the veterans' treatment court;
``(6) certify that participating offenders will be
supervised by one or more designated judges with responsibility
for the veterans' treatment court;
``(7) specify plans for obtaining necessary support and
continuing the veterans' treatment court following the
conclusion of Federal support; and
``(8) describe the methodology that will be used in
evaluating the veterans' treatment court.
``SEC. 3033. REPORT.
``A State, State court, local court, unit of local government, or
Indian tribal government that receives funds under this part during a
fiscal year shall submit to the Attorney General and the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs a description and an evaluation report on a date
specified by the Attorney General regarding the effectiveness of the
veterans' treatment court carried out with a grant under this part.
``SEC. 3034. DEFINITIONS.
``For the purposes of this part:
``(1) Veteran.--The term `veteran' has the meaning given
such term in section 2108 of title 5, United States Code.
``(2) Veterans' treatment court.--The term `veterans'
treatment court' means a program designed to offer a
collaborative rehabilitative approach for offenders who are
veterans in certain criminal justice proceedings.
``(3) Violent offender.--The term `violent offender' has
the meaning given such term in section 2953(a).''.
SEC. 3. STUDY BY THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE.
(a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct a study to assess the effectiveness and impact of the veterans'
treatment court grant program authorized under part MM of title I of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. In assessing
the effectiveness of such grant program, the Comptroller General shall
consider--
(1) recidivism rates of veterans' treatment court
participants;
(2) completion rates among veterans' treatment court
participants;
(3) the costs of veterans' treatment courts to the criminal
justice system; and
(4) any other factors the Comptroller determines to be
appropriate.
(b) Documents and Information.--The Attorney General and recipients
of grants awarded under part MM of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control
and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as a condition of receiving such a grant,
shall provide the Comptroller General with all relevant documents and
information that the Comptroller General determines necessary to
conduct the study under subsection (a).
(c) Report.--Not later than January 1, 2015, the Comptroller
General shall report to Congress the results of the study conducted
under subsection (a).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
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