April 8, 2025
Mr. Van Drew introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, and Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To prioritize the hiring and training of veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Safer Schools Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Uses of COPS grants to hire veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers
Section 1701(b)(13) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(b)(12)) is amended by inserting , and the hiring and training of veterans and retired law enforcement officers to serve as school resource officers
after offenses
.
Sec. 3. Preferential consideration of applications for certain grants
Section 1701(c) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(c)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (2), by striking or
at the end;
(2)
in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or
; and
(3)
by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
(4)
for hiring and training veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers.
Sec. 4. Technical assistance
Section 1701(d) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(d)(3)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (3):
(4) Mental Health Screening and Training
The Attorney General may provide technical assistance to States, units of local government, Indian tribal governments, and to other public and private entities using funds under this section for purposes described in subsection (b)(13) to provide school resource officers with an annual mental health screening and an annual training on tactics and response.
Sec. 5. Definitions
Section 1709(4) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10389(4)) is amended—
(1)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting , veteran, or retired law enforcement officer
after career law enforcement officer
;
(2)
in subparagraph (F), by striking and
at the end;
(3)
in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
; and
(4)
by inserting after subparagraph (G) the following:
(H)
to meet at least annually with students in order to increase familiarity between students and the officer and to foster community engagement.
Sec. 6. Coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall coordinate with recipients of grants under part Q of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381 et seq.) to connect veterans seeking to serve as school resource officers (as such term is defined in section 1709 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 1038)) with local law enforcement agencies participating in school-based partnerships described in section 1701(b)(12) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(b)(12)).