[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3529 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3529
To direct the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to establish
a grant program to promote re-entry training programs and reduce
recidivism, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 25, 2021
Mr. Nehls (for himself, Mrs. Demings, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Babin,
Mr. Carter of Texas, and Mr. Sessions) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to establish
a grant program to promote re-entry training programs and reduce
recidivism, 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 ``Second Chance Opportunity for Re-
Entry Education Act of 2021'' or the ``SCORE Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. GRANT TO PROMOTE RE-ENTRY TRAINING PROGRAMS AND REDUCE
RECIDIVISM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance
shall establish a grant program called the ``Second Chance Opportunity
for Re-Entry Education Grant Program'' (in this Act referred to as the
``Program'') to promote re-entry training programs and reduce
recidivism to county jails for qualified non-violent inmates.
(b) Grant Authority.--In carrying out the Program, the Director may
award a grant on a competitive basis in accordance with this section.
(c) Eligible Recipients.--
(1) In general.--The Director may award a grant under the
Program to a county with a county jail inmate population of 500
or more inmates, determined by the Director to have the
authority and capability to carry out a project described in
subsection (d).
(2) County coordination.--The Director may award a grant
under the Program to two or more counties, as a group, with a
county jail inmate population of less than 500 inmates if the
combined inmate population of these counties is 500 or more
inmates and together these counties are determined by the
Director to have the authority and capability to carry out a
project described in subsection (d).
(d) Eligible Projects.--Grant funds awarded under the Program may
only be used to develop or manage an existing career training program
at a county jail to provide training in welding, heating ventilation,
and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, or any other career training
program determined to be an eligible project by the Director.
(e) Applications.--
(1) In general.--To be eligible for a grant under the
Program, a county with a county jail inmate population of 500
or more inmates may submit to the Director an application in
such form, at such time, and containing such information as the
Director determines to be appropriate.
(2) County coordination.--To be eligible for a grant under
the Program, two or more counties with a combined county jail
inmate population of 500 or more inmates may submit to the
Director an application as a group, in such form, at such time,
and containing such information as the Director determines to
be appropriate.
(f) Priority.--In making a grant under the Program, the Director
shall give priority to an eligible recipient that--
(1) has career training programs and facilities for such
programs;
(2) coordinates with local or adjacent civilian trade
schools, technical or vocational institutes, or community
colleges that can provide paid instructors for inmate classroom
instruction;
(3) as county owned or leased land that can support
construction of classroom and vocational training space;
(4) has county assets so that the county can transport,
feed, and secure inmates during inmate classroom instruction
and traveling to and from such classroom instruction;
(5) has administrative support from a county sheriff,
county judge, or county commissioners court members, as
applicable; and
(6) coordinates with non-profit organizations and unions
that have expertise and experience in career training programs.
(g) Limitation on Grant Amounts.--The amount of a grant under the
Program shall not exceed $500,000, including if a grant is made to two
or more counties with a combined county jail inmate population of 500
or more inmates.
(h) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project
assisted with a grant under the Program shall not exceed 75 percent.
(i) Evaluation of Program.--Not later than 365 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, an eligible
recipient who is awarded a grant under the Program shall submit to the
Director a report on the Program, including:
(1) The number of inmates that entered career training
programs developed pursuant to the Program.
(2) The number of inmates that completed or graduated
career training programs developed pursuant to the Program.
(3) The number of inmates that completed or graduated
career training programs developed pursuant to the Program and
re-entered the county jail after their release from jail.
(4) The number of inmates that completed or graduated
career training programs developed pursuant to the Program who
found employment after release and what career field they are
employed in.
(j) Qualified Non-Violent Inmates Defined.--In this section, the
term ``qualified non-violent inmates'' means--
(1) a non-violent individual who has not been convicted of
an offense during the course of which--
(A) the individual used a firearm or other
dangerous weapon; or
(B) there occurred the death of, or serious bodily
injury to, any person;
(2) a non-violent individual who has not been charged or
convicted of any offense under Federal or State law, punishable
by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, that is murder,
voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, aggravated assault, a
forcible sex offense, robbery, arson, extortion, or the use or
unlawful possession of a firearm described in section 5845(a)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1968 (26 U.S.C. 5845(a)) or
explosive material as defined in section 841(c) of title 18,
United States Code.
(k) Funding of Program.--Section 506 of the Omnibus Crime Control
and Safe Streets Act of 198 (34 U.S.C. 10157) is amended by inserting
the following new subsection:
``(c) Of the total amount made available to carry out this part for
a fiscal year, the Attorney General shall reserve not more than 3
percent to be granted to 1 or more county for the grant program
established pursuant to the `SCORE Act of 2021' for each of the fiscal
years 2022 to 2027.''.
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