SERVE Our Communities Act

119 HR 198 IH: Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and Endangering Our Communities Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-01-03 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 198 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. 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 . 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 ).