First responder hiring grants

(a) Grant authorization The Secretary shall carry out a grant program under which the Secretary makes grants to community-based organizations, health departments, States, units of local government, Indian tribal governments, other public and private entities, and multi-jurisdictional or regional consortia for the purposes described under subsection (b). (b) Use of funds A grant awarded under subsection (a) may be used to— (1) recruit, hire, and train first responders; (2) procure equipment, technology, support systems, or pay overtime, to increase the number of first responders available to a community; (3) increase the number of first responders involved in activities that are focused on interaction with members of the community on crisis response and community violence and trauma prevention; (4) provide education and training to first responders to enhance their conflict resolution, mediation, problem solving, service, and other skills needed to work in partnership with members of the community, including by programs that incentivize individuals to complete such education and training; (5) develop and implement innovative programs that support members of the community to work with community-based organizations, emergency first responders, and State, Tribal, and local officials in community violence and trauma prevention efforts; and (6) establish school-based partnerships by employing and retaining first responders in pre-Kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools to support trauma-informed care and behavioral and mental health services, and to operate school-based health centers in local schools. (c) 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. (d) Additional grants The Secretary may authorize additional funds under this section to entities 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 jurisdiction the entity serves. (e) 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 entities located in rural areas. (3) Each entity that receives a grant under this section shall certify to the Secretary that any individual hired using funds received through such grant will be paid a wage, which shall be at least the highest of the following: (A) $17 an hour. (B) The minimum wage under the applicable State or local minimum wage law. (C) The prevailing rates of pay for individuals employed in similar occupations by the same employer. (D) The Federal minimum wage in effect under section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)). (f) Evaluation (1) In general The Division on Community Safety shall review and evaluate information provided in the reports submitted by entities 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. (g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $2,500,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.