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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6613 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6613
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish Regional School
Safety Development Centers to provide consultation for schools to
develop or improve a school safety plan based on evidence-based best
practices, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 6, 2023
Mr. Rutherford (for himself, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas,
Mr. Kilmer, Mr. James, Mr. Correa, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Mrs. Hayes)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish Regional School
Safety Development Centers to provide consultation for schools to
develop or improve a school safety plan based on evidence-based best
practices, and for other purposes.
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 ``Preparing Leaders to Assess Needs
for School Safety Act of 2023'' or the ``PLAN for School Safety Act of
2023''.
SEC. 2. SCHOOL SAFETY DEVELOPMENT CENTER PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Subtitle A of title XXII of the Homeland Security
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 2220F. SCHOOL SAFETY DEVELOPMENT CENTER PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Director shall make awards, including
grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, to eligible entities to
establish, improve, or maintain State-wide or intrastate regional
School Safety Development Centers for the purposes of providing
customized consulting services to schools to develop, improve, or
implement the school's individualized school safety plan.
``(b) Awards.--
``(1) Application.--To seek an award under this section, an
eligible entity shall submit an application to the Director at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as
the Director may require. At minimum, any such application
shall include evidence of the applicant's expertise in
comprehensive school safety and school climate, including
evidence-based violence prevention for students and educators,
suicide prevention, student mental health, and school security.
``(2) Preference.--In making awards under this section, the
Director shall, as appropriate, give preference to eligible
entities that have existing relationships with local schools,
particularly those in rural, Tribal, or low-resourced
communities, as applicable by the proposed geographical area,
or minority-serving institutions described in sections 371(a)
and 326(e)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1067q(a) and 1063b(e)(1)).
``(3) Use of funds.--Activities eligible for funding
through an award under this section include the following:
``(A) Developing communications materials for and
disseminating to schools, educators, parents, legal
guardians, and youth, and increasing State-wide or
intrastate regional public awareness of evidence-based
research and best practices for school safety and
student mental health.
``(B) Conducting individualized consultations with
schools to research and analyze a school's existing
school safety and student mental health policies, or
developing or improving, in coordination with a school,
a customized school safety and student mental health
plan to fit the individualized, age- and
developmentally-appropriate needs of such school
community based on evidence-based best practices.
``(C) Assisting schools in the implementation of
their customized school safety and mental health plan,
including the following:
``(i) Identification of Federal or State
government funding for enactment of the plan,
in whole or in part.
``(ii) Provide training, resources, or
technical assistance to assist schools in
applying for such Federal or State government
funding.
``(iii) Providing training, resources, and
technical assistance to educate school staff
and families regarding the policies and
procedures of the plan.
``(4) Matching requirement.--The Federal share of the cost
of activities for which a grant is made to an eligible entity
under this section may not exceed 95 percent of the total cost
of such activities.
``(c) Award Administration.--
``(1) Training and technical assistance.--The Director, in
consultation with the Secretary of Education and the Youth
Advisory Council (established pursuant to paragraph (2)(C)),
shall provide training and technical assistance to State-wide
or intrastate regional School Safety Development Centers on the
following:
``(A) Best practices for individualized consulting
with schools based on their unique needs for
implementation in accordance with subsection (b)(3).
``(B) Evidence-based practices and recommendations
established under section 2220D that are presented in a
clear and concise manner for schools and the public.
``(2) Subject matter experts.--
``(A) Personnel.--The Director shall hire
additional personnel and contractors with expertise in
school mental health and school administration to
provide additional subject matter expertise in
implementing evidence-based programming within schools
to carry out paragraph (1).
``(B) Detailee.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary of
Education shall detail to the Agency an
employee of the Department of Education to
assist in the provision of the training and
technical assistance described in paragraph
(1).
``(ii) Reimbursement.--The Secretary of
Education shall reimburse the Director for any
costs associated with the detailee under clause
(i).
``(C) Youth advisory council.--
``(i) Establishment.--Not later than one
year after the date of the enactment of this
section, the Director shall establish and
convene a Youth Advisory Council for the
purpose of providing advice on the
implementation of this section.
``(ii) Participation.--The Youth Advisory
Council shall include participation from the
following:
``(I) Parents, academic experts,
mental health professionals, and
members of civil society with respect
to the prevention of violence in
schools.
``(II) Youth representation,
including youth who have experienced
school violence.
``(d) Report to Congress.--Not later than two years after the date
of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Director
shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on
the Judiciary, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate a report on actions taken by the Director
to implement this section, including information relating to the
following:
``(1) The name, location, and number of eligible entities
in each State receiving awards under this section.
``(2) A comparative analysis of actions recommended in
school safety plans by School Safety Development Centers.
``(3) A formal evaluation of whether the activities
described in subsection (b)(3) were implemented by eligible
entities receiving awards under this section.
``(4) An assessment of the effectiveness of the School
Safety Development Centers in assisting eligible entities that
received awards under this section, including instances of
averted violence, including self-harm, if applicable, and
policy recommendations for improved effectiveness.
``(e) Rule of Construction.--
``(1) Waiver of requirements.--Nothing in this section may
be construed to establish, satisfy, or waive any requirement
under any of the following:
``(A) Title II of the Americans With Disabilities
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.).
``(B) The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701
et seq.).
``(C) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42
U.S.C. 2000d et seq.).
``(D) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
(20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.).
``(E) The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C.
6101 et seq.).
``(F) The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
of 1973 (20 U.S.C. 1232g).
``(2) No effect on other laws.--Nothing in this section may
be construed to preclude or contradict any other provision of
law authorizing training in the use of firearms.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--To carry out this section, there are
authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal years 2025
through 2029.
``(2) Restriction on use of funds.--Amounts made available
to carry out this section may not be used to--
``(A) consult or train any school or person in the
use of firearms; or
``(B) hire school personnel or school-based
contractors.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible entities.--The term `eligible entities'
means any of the following:
``(A) A State.
``(B) A State educational agency (as such term is
defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
``(C) A Tribal educational agency (as such term is
defined in section 6132 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7452)).
``(D) An institute of higher education eligible for
assistance under title III of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.).
``(E) A Tribal College or University (as such term
is defined in section 313 of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c)).
``(2) Evidence-based.--The term `evidence-based' has the
meaning given such term in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
``(3) School.--The term `school' has the meaning given such
term in section 2704 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10554).
``(4) School safety plan.--The term `school safety plan'
means a set of common actions schools can take to address the
foundational elements of school safety, including designated
staff, school climate and mental health, reporting systems,
threat assessment, emergency planning, educator training,
student prevention training, exercises and drills, site
assessments, and recovery plans.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 2220E the following new item:
``Sec. 2220F. School Safety Development Center program.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
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