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Read. Follow. Verify.Enhancing COPS Hiring Program Grants for Local Law Enforcement Act
Last action · May 16, 2023: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.Sponsor: Greg Landsman
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill proposes changes to the federal COPS grant program to allow local law enforcement agencies to use grant funds for officer recruitment and retention bonuses. It also aims to simplify the application process by allowing agencies to update previous grant applications for up to five years if they were not initially funded.
Local law enforcement agencies may gain new flexibility to use federal grant money for hiring and retention bonuses, and the administrative burden for applying for these grants may be reduced for agencies that were previously denied funding.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Local law enforcement agencies
These agencies gain new options for using federal grant funds and a simplified process for re-applying for grants.
Law enforcement officers
Officers may be eligible for recruitment or retention bonuses funded by federal grants.
Key Facts
- The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to explicitly allow COPS grant funds to be used for recruitment and retention bonuses for law enforcement officers.
- The Attorney General is authorized to allow applicants to amend previously submitted grant applications instead of requiring new applications for up to five years after the initial submission.
- The bill applies to grant applications submitted under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1701(b) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act.
- The term 'law enforcement officer' is defined by reference to section 1204(9) of the existing Act.
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- The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on May 16, 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can local police departments use federal COPS grants for bonuses now?
Does this bill make it easier to apply for COPS grants?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
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Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift toward multi-year grant application reuse
The bill introduces a mechanism to allow agencies to reuse grant applications for up to five years, signaling a move to reduce administrative overhead for repeat applicants.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance50How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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