[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2577 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2577
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
April 1, 2025
Mr. Rutherford (for himself, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas,
Mr. Correa, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Mrs. Hayes) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 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 2025'' or the ``PLAN for School Safety Act of
2025''.
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
or cooperative agreements, to eligible entities to establish, improve,
or maintain statewide or intrastate Regional School Safety Development
Centers (`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.--An eligible entity shall use an award
received under this section to establish, improve, or maintain
a School Safety Development Center, which shall include each of
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 implementation 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 or cooperative agreement 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 eligible entities receiving awards under this
section, training and technical assistance 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, on a reimbursable
basis, 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 Director shall
reimburse the Secretary of Education 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 joint 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 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 such eligible entities through the
School Safety Development Centers assisted through such awards.
``(3) An assessment of the effectiveness of such School
Safety Development Centers in assisting schools to develop and
implement school safety plans, as a means to avert 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 annually from fiscal
years 2026 through 2030.
``(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 for the schools the School Safety
Development Centers are advising under subsection
(b)(3).
``(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 institution 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.''.
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