H.R. 1348

HR 1348 IH

107th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1348

To provide funds to the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 3, 2001

Mr. HUTCHINSON (for himself and Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To provide funds to the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, 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 `Rural Law Enforcement Assistance Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) BOARD- The term `Board' means the members of the Board of the Center elected in accordance with the bylaws of the Center.

(2) CENTER- The term `Center' means the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, a nonprofit corporation located in Little Rock, Arkansas.

(3) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR- The term `Executive Director' means the Executive Director of the Center as appointed in accordance with the bylaws of the Center.

(4) INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION- The term `institutions of higher education' has the meaning given the term in section 1201(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1141(a)).

(5) METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA- The term `metropolitan statistical area' has the same meaning given the term by the Bureau of the Census of the Department of Commerce.

(6) RURAL AREA- The term `rural area' means an area that is located outside of a metropolitan statistical area.

(7) RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY- The term `rural law enforcement agency' means a criminal justice or law enforcement agency that serves a county, parish, city, town, township, borough, or village that is located in a rural area.

SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM GRANTS.

(a) GRANT AUTHORITY- The Attorney General shall annually make a grant to the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement through the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Affairs, if the Executive Director certifies in writing to the Attorney General that the Center--

(1) is incorporated in accordance with applicable State law;

(2) is in compliance with the bylaws of the Center;

(3) will use amounts made available under this section in accordance with subsection (b); and

(4) will not support any political party or candidate for elected or appointed office.

(b) USES OF FUNDS-

(1) REQUIRED USES OF FUNDS- The Center shall use amounts made available under this section to develop an education and training program for criminal justice or law enforcement agencies in rural areas and the employees of those agencies, which shall include--

(A) the development and delivery of management, forensic and computer education and training, technical assistance, and practical research and evaluation for employees of rural law enforcement agencies (including tribal law enforcement agencies and railroad law enforcement agencies), including supervisory and executive managers of those agencies;

(B) conducting research into the causes and prevention of criminal activity in rural areas, including the causes, assessment, evaluation, analysis, and prevention of criminal activity;

(C) the development and dissemination of information designed to assist States and units of local government in rural areas throughout the United States;

(D) the establishment and maintenance of a resource and information center for the collection, preparation, and dissemination of information regarding criminal justice and law enforcement in rural areas, including programs for the prevention of crime and recidivism; and

(E) the delivery of assistance, in a consulting capacity, to criminal justice agencies in the development, establishment, maintenance, and coordination of programs, facilities and

services, education, training, and research relating to crime in rural areas.

(2) PERMISSIVE USES OF FUNDS- The Center may use amounts made available under a grant under this section to enhance the education and training program developed under paragraph (1), through--

(A) educational opportunities for rural law enforcement agencies;

(B) the development, promotion, and voluntary adoption of educational and training standards and accreditation certification programs for rural law enforcement agencies and the employees of those agencies;

(C) grants to, and contracts with, State, and local governments, law enforcement agencies, public and private agencies, educational institutions, and other organizations and individuals to carry out this paragraph;

(D) the formulation and recommendation of law enforcement policy, goals, and standards in rural areas applicable to criminal justice agencies, organizations, institutions, and personnel; and

(E) coordination with institutions of higher education for the purpose of encouraging and delivering programs of study with those institutions for employees of rural law enforcement agencies.

(1) request the head of any Federal department or agency to detail, on a reimbursable basis, 1 or more employees of the Federal department or agency to the Center to assist the Center in carrying out subsection (b), and any such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege;

(2) request the Administrator of the General Services Administration to provide the Center, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services necessary for the Center to carry out subsection (b); and

(3) procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates of compensation established by the Board, but not to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum rate of pay payable for a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.

(d) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS- The Executive Director shall annually submit to the Attorney General a report, which shall include--

(1) a description of the education and training program developed under subsection (b);

(2) the number and demographic representation of individuals who attended programs sponsored by the Center;

(3) a description of the extent to which resources of other governmental agencies or private entities were used in carrying out subsection (b); and

(4) a description of the extent to which contracts with other public and private entities were used in carrying out subsection (b).

(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section--

(1) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; and

(2) such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007.

SEC. 4. REGIONAL CENTERS.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Center shall establish 8 regional centers, 1 in each geographic region listed in subsection (b) that will be under the supervision, direction, and control of the Center.

(2) REQUIREMENT- The 8 regional centers shall be established 2 per year during 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005.

(b) REGIONS- For purposes of subsection (a), the regions shall be as follows:

(1) REGION 1- Region 1 shall be comprised of the following States--

(A) Connecticut;

(B) Maine;

(D) New Hampshire;

(E) New York;

(F) Rhode Island; and

(G) Vermont.

(2) REGION 2- Region 2 shall be comprised of the following States--

(A) Delaware;

(B) Maryland;

(D) Ohio;

(E) Pennsylvania;

(F) West Virginia; and

(G) Virginia.

(3) REGION 3- Region 3 shall be comprised of the following States--

(A) Alabama;

(B) Florida;

(D) Mississippi;

(E) North Carolina; and

(F) South Carolina.

(4) REGION 4- Region 4 shall be comprised of the following States--

(A) Iowa;

(B) Minnesota;

(D) North Dakota;

(E) South Dakota; and

(F) Wisconsin.

(5) REGION 5- Region 5 shall be comprised of the following States--

(A) Arkansas;

(B) Illinois;

(D) Kentucky;

(E) Louisiana;

(F) Michigan;

(G) Missouri; and

(H) Tennessee.

(6) REGION 6- Region 6 shall be comprised of the following States--

(A) Colorado;

(B) Kansas;

(D) Oklahoma; and

(E) Texas.

(7) REGION 7- Region 7 shall be comprised of the following States--

(A) Arizona;

(B) California;

(D) Utah.

(8) REGION 8- Region 8 shall be comprised of the following States--

(A) Alaska;

(B) Hawaii;

(D) Montana;

(E) Oregon;

(F) Washington; and

(G) Wyoming.

(1) IN GENERAL- All funds for the regional centers shall be distributed by the Center which shall determine the budget base of each regional center based upon the budget request required to be submitted by each regional center under paragraph (2).

(2) BUDGET REQUEST- Each regional center shall submit a budget request to the Center at such time and in such manner as the Executive Director may reasonably require.

(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section--

(1) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;

(2) $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;

(3) $24,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;

(4) $32,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and

(5) such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2006 and 2007.

END