The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday to markup several gun-violence related measures, including the School Safety Enhancement Act of 2013 (S. 146).
The School Safety Enhancement Act was introduced by Senator Boxer in response to the tragedy that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut late last year. This bill would expand upon and strengthen the Department of Justice’s COPS Secure our Schools grant program that was last funded in Fiscal Year 2011.
The new and improved competitive grant program would be authorized at $100 million and could be used by schools for the installation of surveillance equipment and the establishment of hotlines or tiplines for the reporting of potentially dangerous students and situations.
In addition, Senator Boxer’s bill would allow the Department of Justice to reduce the local cost-share for the COPS Secure our Schools program from 50 percent to 20 percent. The bill also creates a joint task force between the Justice Department and the Department of Education to develop new school safety guideline.
The additional gun-violence related measures being considered on Thursday include, S.150, Assault Weapons Ban of 2013; S.54, Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013; and S.374, Protecting Responsible Gun Sellers Act of 2013.
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