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To authorize grants for States, and units of local government that take efforts to stop enabling repeat violence, and for other purposes.
Summary
The bill would authorize the Attorney General to provide grants to states and local governments that take steps to reduce repeat violence. To be eligible, a jurisdiction must allow courts to consider public safety risk when setting bail or pretrial release conditions, and must demonstrate efforts in the prior year to prevent repeat offenses by violent criminals, such as enacting laws addressing bail considerations, hiring more law enforcement and prosecutors, or running public education programs to improve police-community relations. Grant funds could be used for purposes authorized under the Second Chance Act of 2007, which focuses on criminal justice initiatives and offender reentry programs. The bill authorizes $10 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to fund these grants.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
6 cosponsors
Actions (2)
- Jan 3, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- Jan 3, 2025 Introduced in House
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Text versions (1)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Ms. Tenney (for herself, Mr. LaLota, Mr. Garbarino, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Lawler, and Mr. Langworthy) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To authorize grants for States, and units of local government that take efforts to stop enabling repeat violence, 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 “Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and Endangering Our Communities Act” or the “SERVE Our Communities Act”.
SEC. 2. SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Authorization.—The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, is authorized to make grants to eligible States and units of local government for the purposes described in subsection (c).
(b) Eligibility.—In order to be eligible for a grant under this section, a State or unit of local government—
(1) shall allow a State court or magistrate to consider the danger an individual poses to the community when determining bail or pretrial release conditions; and
(2) shall have taken steps during the previous calendar year to prevent repeat offenses by violent offenders, including—
(A) enacting a law that allows a State court or magistrate to consider the danger an individual poses to the community when determining bail or pretrial release conditions;
(B) expanding efforts of that jurisdiction to hire and retain law enforcement officers and prosecutorial staff; or
(C) administering a public education program to combat anti-police sentiment and improve community- police relations.
(c) Use of Funds.—A State or unit of local government that receives a grant under this section may use such funds for the purposes described in section 211(b) of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (34 U.S.C. 60531(b)).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to carry out this section.
(e) Definitions.—In this section, the terms “State” and “unit of local government” have the meanings given such terms in section 901 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10251). <all>
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