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This bill would create a federal grant program for states and local governments that take steps meant to reduce repeat violent crime and improve public safety. To qualify for money, a state or local government would need to let judges or magistrates consider how dangerous a person may be when deciding bail or pretrial release, and it would also need to show that it has recently taken action to prevent repeat offenses by violent offenders. The bill gives the Attorney General, through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the power to award the grants and sets aside $10 million each year from 2026 through 2031 for this program.
- Grant money would go to eligible states and local governments that meet the bill’s public safety requirements.
- To qualify, they must allow courts to consider public danger when setting bail or pretrial release conditions.
- They must also have taken at least one recent step such as passing a related law, increasing hiring and retention of police or prosecutors, or running a public education program aimed at improving community-police relations.
- Grant funds could be used for purposes allowed under an existing part of the Second Chance Act of 2007.
Official Summaries
Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and Endangering Our Communities Act or the SERVE Our Communities Act
This bill authorizes the Bureau of Justice Assistance to make grants to states and local governments for mentoring, transitional services, and training to help offenders successfully reintegrate back into the community after incarceration. To be eligible for a grant, a state or local government must take steps to prevent repeat offenses by violent offenders and allow a state court or magistrate to consider the danger an individual poses to the community when determining bail or pretrial release conditions.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 198 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 198
To authorize grants for States, and units of local government that take
efforts to stop enabling repeat violence, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Ms. Tenney (for herself, Mr. LaLota, Mr. Garbarino, Ms. Malliotakis,
Mr. Lawler, and Mr. Langworthy) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize grants for States, and units of local government that take
efforts to stop enabling repeat violence, 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 ``Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and
Endangering Our Communities Act'' or the ``SERVE Our Communities Act''.
SEC. 2. SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Authorization.--The Attorney General, acting through the
Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, is authorized to make
grants to eligible States and units of local government for the
purposes described in subsection (c).
(b) Eligibility.--In order to be eligible for a grant under this
section, a State or unit of local government--
(1) shall allow a State court or magistrate to consider the
danger an individual poses to the community when determining
bail or pretrial release conditions; and
(2) shall have taken steps during the previous calendar
year to prevent repeat offenses by violent offenders,
including--
(A) enacting a law that allows a State court or
magistrate to consider the danger an individual poses
to the community when determining bail or pretrial
release conditions;
(B) expanding efforts of that jurisdiction to hire
and retain law enforcement officers and prosecutorial
staff; or
(C) administering a public education program to
combat anti-police sentiment and improve community-
police relations.
(c) Use of Funds.--A State or unit of local government that
receives a grant under this section may use such funds for the purposes
described in section 211(b) of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (34 U.S.C.
60531(b)).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to
carry out this section.
(e) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``State'' and ``unit
of local government'' have the meanings given such terms in section 901
of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C.
10251).
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