Investing in Neighborhood-focused, Vital, Evidence-based Strategies and Trust to Prevent Crime Act of 2018 or the INVEST to Prevent Crime Act
This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize a grant program to prepare a comprehensive plan and to enhance community capacity to address crime through collaborative cross-sector approaches.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2590 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2590
To authorize previously appropriated resources for communities to
address persistent or historical crime through collaborative cross-
sector partnerships.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 22, 2018
Mr. Donnelly (for himself and Mr. Graham) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize previously appropriated resources for communities to
address persistent or historical crime through collaborative cross-
sector partnerships.
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 ``Investing in Neighborhood-focused,
Vital, Evidence-based Strategies and Trust to Prevent Crime Act of
2018'' or the ``INVEST to Prevent Crime Act''.
SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``PART NN--DEMONSTRATION GRANT PROGRAM
``SEC. 3041. DEFINITIONS.
``In this part--
``(1) the term `crime hot spot' means a defined geographic
area within a focus neighborhood where, for not less than 1
year, the occurrence of crime is so frequent that it is highly
predictable;
``(2) the term `eligible entity' means a State, unit of
local government, Indian tribe, tribal organization, non-profit
organization, or institution of higher education that is a
member of a community consortium, which includes not less than
1 partner law enforcement agency, that is committed to working
with law enforcement agencies, community leaders, and research
partners to develop an evidence-based or research-based, cross-
sector strategy to revitalize a focus neighborhood facing
significant crime challenges;
``(3) the term `evidence-based practice' means a program,
strategy, or procedure that has been demonstrated as effective
by causal evidence, obtained through one or more outcome
evaluations;
``(4) the term `focus neighborhood' means a defined
geographic area that is the focus of a project funded by a
grant awarded under this part;
``(5) the terms `Indian tribe' and `tribal organization'
have the meanings given those terms in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5304);
``(6) the term `institution of higher education' has the
meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002);
``(7) the term `research-based practice' means a program,
strategy, or procedure that is selected and implemented based
on documented effectiveness, with activities adapted based on
data about local conditions, as appropriate;
``(8) the term `State' means each of the 50 States, the
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the
Northern Mariana Islands; and
``(9) the term `unit of local government' means a county,
municipality, city, town, township, village, parish, borough,
or other unit of general government below the State level.
``SEC. 3042. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
``(a) In General.--The Attorney General may--
``(1) make grants to eligible entities to prepare a
comprehensive plan for and implement enhancement of the
capacity of local and tribal communities to effectively target
and address significant crime issues through collaborative
cross-sector approaches; and
``(2) provide training and technical assistance to eligible
entities that receive grants under this part.
``(b) Project Goals.--Projects funded under this section shall--
``(1) identify a focus neighborhood facing significant
crime challenges;
``(2) use evidence-based practices or research-based
practices;
``(3) encourage active involvement and leadership from
neighborhood residents, business owners, organizations, and
others who live, work, or conduct business in the focus
neighborhood; and
``(4) build cross-sector partnerships to address crime
problems from multiple perspectives.
``(c) Applications.--
``(1) In general.--To receive a planning grant or an
implementation grant under this section, an eligible entity
shall submit an application to the Attorney General in such
form and containing such information as the Attorney General
may reasonably require.
``(2) Combined application.--The Attorney General may
develop a procedure under which an eligible entity may apply at
the same time and in a single application for a planning grant
and an implementation grant under this section, with receipt of
the implementation grant conditioned on the successful
completion of the activities funded by the planning grant.
``(3) Research partner.--
``(A) In general.--An applicant for a grant under
this section shall identify a research partner, such as
an institution of higher education, research center, or
State or local agency, to--
``(i) conduct a detailed analysis of crime
drivers during the planning period described in
subsection (d)(1)(A); and
``(ii) assist the grant recipient to select
the most appropriate evidence-based practices
or research-based practices to apply based on
the research findings.
``(B) Continued assistance.--A research partner
described in subparagraph (A) shall remain engaged
throughout the duration of the grant by continuing to
provide and analyze data to help inform project
implementation.
``(d) Duration of Grants.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2)--
``(A) a planning grant awarded under this section
shall be used by the recipient for a period not to
exceed 12 months; and
``(B) an implementation grant awarded under this
section shall be used by the recipient for a period not
to exceed 36 months.
``(2) Extension of planning or implementation.--Upon
request of a grant recipient, the Attorney General may allow
the grant recipient to extend the planning period described in
paragraph (1)(A) or the implementation period described in
paragraph (1)(B) for a reasonable length of time, as determined
by the Attorney General.
``(3) Limitation on additional funds.--If the Attorney
General allows an extension under paragraph (2), the Attorney
General may not award additional grant funds.
``(e) Planning Grants.--A grant awarded for the planning phase of a
project may be used to--
``(1) identify, verify, and prioritize crime hot spots
within the focus neighborhood;
``(2) build community partnerships and facilitate
leadership to ensure residents are active participants in the
strategy to address crime in the community;
``(3) collaborate with local law enforcement agencies,
research partners, and the community to analyze the drivers of
crime and assess the needs of the community and the available
resources to meet those needs; and
``(4) work with community consortium partners to develop a
comprehensive cross-sector strategic plan to reduce crime in
the focus neighborhood that is based on the findings made under
paragraph (3).
``(f) Implementation Grants.--Funds awarded for the implementation
phase of a project may be used to--
``(1) convene regular meetings of cross-sector partners and
the project management team;
``(2) continue work with research partners to assess
project implementation;
``(3) modify strategies developed during project planning
as appropriate;
``(4) support personnel and program costs to implement
strategies developed during project planning;
``(5) pursue community engagement and leadership
development; and
``(6) identify and develop a long-term sustainable strategy
to continue to achieve the project's goals after the conclusion
of the implementation period.
``SEC. 3043. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
``At the end of the first grant year, and each year thereafter, the
Attorney General shall submit a report to the Committee on the
Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House
of Representatives that provides an overall assessment of the
outcomes--
``(1) achieved by the demonstration projects funded under
this part; and
``(2) achieved by any demonstration projects that--
``(A) received funding under the Byrne Criminal
Justice Innovation program of the Department of Justice
or the Innovations in Community Based Crime Reduction
program of the Department of Justice during fiscal
years 2013 through 2018; and
``(B) were carried out during the grant year to
which the report pertains.
``SEC. 3044. GRANT ACCOUNTABILITY.
``(a) Accountability.--All grants awarded by the Attorney General
under this part shall be subject to the following accountability
provisions:
``(1) Audit requirement.--
``(A) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term
`unresolved audit finding' means a finding in the final
audit report of the Inspector General of the Department
of Justice that the audited grantee has utilized grant
funds for an unauthorized expenditure or otherwise
unallowable cost that is not closed or resolved within
12 months from the date when the final audit report is
issued.
``(B) Audits.--Beginning in the first fiscal year
beginning after the date of enactment of this
subsection, and in each fiscal year thereafter, the
Inspector General of the Department of Justice shall
conduct audits of recipients of grants under this part
to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds by
grantees. The Inspector General shall determine the
appropriate number of grantees to be audited each year.
``(C) Mandatory exclusion.--A recipient of grant
funds under this part that is found to have an
unresolved audit finding shall not be eligible to
receive grant funds under this part during the first 2
fiscal years beginning after the end of the 12-month
period described in subparagraph (A).
``(D) Priority.--In awarding grants under this
part, the Attorney General shall give priority to
eligible applicants that did not have an unresolved
audit finding during the 3 fiscal years before
submitting an application for a grant under this part.
``(E) Reimbursement.--If an entity is awarded grant
funds under this part during the 2-fiscal-year period
during which the entity is barred from receiving grants
under subparagraph (C), the Attorney General shall--
``(i) deposit an amount equal to the amount
of the grant funds that were improperly awarded
to the grantee into the General Fund of the
Treasury; and
``(ii) seek to recoup the costs of the
repayment to the fund from the grant recipient
that was erroneously awarded grant funds.
``(2) Nonprofit organization requirements.--
``(A) Definition.--For purposes of this paragraph
and the grant programs under this part, the term
`nonprofit organization' means an organization that is
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section
501(a) of such Code.
``(B) Prohibition.--The Attorney General may not
award a grant under this part to a nonprofit
organization that holds money in offshore accounts for
the purpose of avoiding paying the tax described in
section 511(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
``(C) Disclosure.--Each nonprofit organization that
is awarded a grant under this part and uses the
procedures prescribed in regulations to create a
rebuttable presumption of reasonableness for the
compensation of its officers, directors, trustees, and
key employees, shall disclose to the Attorney General,
in the application for the grant, the process for
determining such compensation, including the
independent persons involved in reviewing and approving
such compensation, the comparability data used, and
contemporaneous substantiation of the deliberation and
decision. Upon request, the Attorney General shall make
the information disclosed under this subparagraph
available for public inspection.
``(3) Conference expenditures.--
``(A) Limitation.--No amounts made available to the
Department of Justice under this part may be used by
the Attorney General, or by any individual or entity
awarded discretionary funds through a cooperative
agreement under this part, to host or support any
expenditure for conferences that uses more than $20,000
in funds made available by the Department of Justice,
unless the head of the relevant agency or department,
provides prior written authorization that the funds may
be expended to host the conference.
``(B) Written approval.--Written approval under
subparagraph (A) shall include a written estimate of
all costs associated with the conference, including the
cost of all food, beverages, audio-visual equipment,
honoraria for speakers, and entertainment.
``(C) Report.--The Deputy Attorney General shall
submit an annual report to the Committee on the
Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the
Judiciary of the House of Representatives on all
conference expenditures approved under this paragraph.
``(4) Annual certification.--Beginning in the first fiscal
year beginning after the date of enactment of this subsection,
the Attorney General shall submit, to the Committee on the
Judiciary and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and
the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives, an annual
certification--
``(A) indicating whether--
``(i) all audits issued by the Office of
the Inspector General under paragraph (1) have
been completed and reviewed by the appropriate
Assistant Attorney General or Director;
``(ii) all mandatory exclusions required
under paragraph (1)(C) have been issued; and
``(iii) all reimbursements required under
paragraph (1)(E) have been made; and
``(B) that includes a list of any grant recipients
excluded under paragraph (1) from the previous year.
``(b) Preventing Duplicative Grants.--
``(1) In general.--Before the Attorney General awards a
grant to an applicant under this part, the Attorney General
shall compare potential grant awards with other grants awarded
under this part to determine if duplicate grant awards are
awarded for the same purpose.
``(2) Report.--If the Attorney General awards duplicate
grants to the same applicant for the same purpose the Attorney
General shall submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the
Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives a report that includes--
``(A) a list of all duplicate grants awarded,
including the total dollar amount of any duplicate
grants awarded; and
``(B) the reason the Attorney General awarded the
duplicate grants.''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 1001(a) of title I of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C.
10261(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(28) For activities under part NN, there are authorized to be
appropriated $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.''.
(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that amounts
appropriated to carry out part NN of title I of the Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as added by subsection (a), may
not be offset by a decrease in the amounts appropriated for--
(1) the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant
program under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10151 et
seq.); or
(2) the Cops on the Beat grant program under part Q of
title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of
1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381 et seq.).
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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