EdCOPS Act of 2024

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9180 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9180

  To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
 provide education assistance to public safety officers, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 26, 2024

  Ms. Caraveo (for herself, Mr. Lawler, and Mr. James) 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 
 provide education assistance to public safety officers, 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 ``Educational and Career Opportunities 
for Public Safety Act of 2024'' or the ``EdCOPS Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    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 PP--PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

``SEC. 3061. PURPOSE.

    ``The purpose of this part is to improve recruitment and retention 
of public safety officers employed by State, local, tribal, and 
regional law enforcement agencies by providing assistance for the 
pursuit of a program of higher education.

``SEC. 3062. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) Child.--The term `child' means a natural, 
        illegitimate, or adopted child or stepchild of an eligible 
        public safety officer.
            ``(2) Educational institution; program of education.--The 
        terms `educational institution' and `program of education' have 
        the meanings given the terms in section 1217.
            ``(3) Eligible public safety officer.--The term `eligible 
        public safety officer' means a public safety officer that--
                    ``(A) has served as a public safety officer for not 
                less than 8 years for a single employer prior to the 
                date of submission of an application under section 
                3064; and
                    ``(B) commits to serving as a public safety officer 
                with the employer described in subparagraph (A) during 
                the 4-year period following the date of submission of 
                an application under section 3064.
            ``(4) Public safety officer.--The term `public safety 
        officer' has the meaning given the term in section 1204.

``SEC. 3063. BASIC ELIGIBILITY.

    ``(a) Benefits.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Attorney General shall provide 
        financial assistance to a person who attends a program of 
        education and is--
                    ``(A) an eligible public safety officer; or
                    ``(B) a child of an eligible public safety officer 
                to whom an eligible public safety officer transfers 
                eligibility for financial assistance in accordance with 
                paragraph (4)(A).
            ``(2) Form and amount.--Except as provided in paragraph 
        (3), financial assistance under this part shall--
                    ``(A) consist of direct payments to a person 
                described in paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) be computed on the basis set forth in section 
                3532 of title 38, United States Code.
            ``(3) Reduction.--The financial assistance referred to in 
        paragraph (2) shall be reduced by the amount, if any, 
        determined under section 3065(b).
            ``(4) Transfer of assistance.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An eligible public safety 
                officer may elect to transfer eligibility for part or 
                all of the financial assistance for which the eligible 
                public safety officer is eligible under this part to an 
                individual described in paragraph (1)(B).
                    ``(B) Approval.--An eligible public safety officer 
                shall approve the receipt of financial assistance under 
                this part by a person who is not the eligible public 
                safety officer.
    ``(b) Duration of Benefits.--The Attorney General may not provide 
financial assistance under this part to a person for a period in excess 
of 45 months of full-time education or training or a proportional 
period of time for a part-time program.
    ``(c) Age Limitation for Children.--The Attorney General may not 
provide financial assistance under this part to a child of an eligible 
public safety officer after the date of the 27th birthday of the child.

``SEC. 3064. APPLICATIONS; APPROVAL.

    ``(a) Application.--A person seeking assistance under this part 
shall submit to the Attorney General an application in such form and 
containing such information as the Attorney General reasonably may 
require.
    ``(b) Approval.--The Attorney General shall approve an application 
for assistance under this part unless the Attorney General finds that--
            ``(1) the person is not eligible for, is no longer eligible 
        for, or is not entitled to the assistance for which application 
        is made;
            ``(2) the person's selected educational institution fails 
        to meet a requirement established in a regulation implementing 
        this part for eligibility;
            ``(3) the person's enrollment in or pursuit of the 
        educational program selected would fail to meet the criteria in 
        a regulation implementing this part for programs; or
            ``(4) the person already is qualified by previous education 
        or training for the educational, professional, or vocational 
        objective for which the educational program is offered.
    ``(c) Notification.--The Attorney General shall notify a person 
applying for assistance under this part of approval or disapproval of 
the application in writing.

``SEC. 3065. REGULATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Attorney General may promulgate reasonable 
and necessary regulations to implement this part.
    ``(b) Sliding Scale.--Notwithstanding section 3064(b), the Attorney 
General shall issue regulations regarding the use of a sliding scale 
based on financial need to ensure that a person eligible to receive 
financial assistance under this part who is in financial need receives 
priority in receiving funds under this part.

``SEC. 3066. DISCONTINUATION FOR UNSATISFACTORY CONDUCT OR PROGRESS.

    ``The Attorney General may discontinue assistance under this part 
to a person if the Attorney General finds that, according to the 
regularly prescribed standards and practices of an educational 
institution attended by the person, the person fails to maintain 
satisfactory progress as described in section 484(c) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1091(c)).

``SEC. 3067. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
such sums as may be necessary.''.
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