H.R. 2577

[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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