Establishment of community safety grant for States

(a) Grant program established The Secretary shall award grants, on a rolling basis, to States to conduct research on, fund, and otherwise support the development of qualified approaches to community safety. (b) Application A State seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including an assurance that the State shall— (1) establish or designate a State agency, department, or office equivalent to the Division on Community Safety established under section 101, to oversee and support the use of qualified approaches to community safety statewide; and (2) provide matching funds equal to the amount of Federal funds received under the grant— (A) to fund qualified approaches to community safety; and (B) to provide an ongoing framework for continued funding of such qualified approaches. (c) Priority In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to a State that meets one or more of the same criteria specified in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 202(c). (d) Use of funds A State receiving funds under this section shall use such grant funds to— (1) make grants to community-based organizations implementing one or more qualified approaches to community safety, including as intermediaries making subgrants to other local organizations and community leaders who are leading qualified community safety programming on these issues; (2) fund local governments to undertake the activities described in section 202(d); or (3) fund education training for individuals who are taking jobs that advance qualified approaches to community safety. (e) Additional use of funds The Secretary may authorize additional uses of funds that— (1) have a demonstrable connection to improving community safety through the use of qualified approaches to community safety; and (2) support the objectives of the Division on Community Safety. (f) Grant amounts In determining the amount of a grant awarded to a single recipient under this section, the Secretary shall base such determination on— (1) the number of people who live in the State; (2) the depth of need demonstrated, including attention to activities planned, the socioeconomic characteristics of the community, and current patterns of involvement in the criminal legal system; and (3) such other factors as the Secretary determines are relevant. (g) Additional grants The Secretary may authorize additional funds under this section to States that previously received funds under this section if the Secretary determines the previously received funds were successfully deployed and additional funding would assist in expanding qualified approaches to community safety and ensuring a sustainable, coordinated approach in the State. (h) Limitations (1) Funds made available under this section may be used only to carry out programs, services, or activities that use qualified approaches to community safety. (2) Not less than 30 percent of the total amount made available for grants under this section shall be awarded to States with less than 50 percent of their total land area classified as urban by the Census Bureau. (i) Reporting Beginning not later than 6 months after the date on which a State receives a grant under this section, and biannually thereafter, such State shall prepare and submit a report to the Secretary containing information about— (1) how the grant funds were used; (2) the number of people who were cited, arrested, or jailed by State or local law enforcement officers in the previous year, as compared to the number cited, arrest, or jailed during the term of the grant; (3) the reasons for such citing, arresting, or jailing; and (4) demographic data of individuals cited, arrested, or jailed or referred by State or local law enforcement officers, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, age, gender, and disability status. (j) Evaluation (1) In general The Division on Community Safety shall review and evaluate information provided in the reports submitted by States receiving funds under this section, and other information available to the Division, including by conducting data matching and other forms of data analysis, and submit such analyses to the Secretary. (2) Incorporation of analyses The Secretary shall incorporate analyses provided by the Division on Community Safety into decision-making regarding awarding additional grants under this section. (k) Supplement, not supplant A State shall use Federal funds received under this section only to supplement the funds that would, without such Federal funds, be made available from State and local sources, and not to supplant such funds. (l) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to implement this section $3,500,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.