,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #eajc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #af1 #bjbb,mrs4 ,fischer 7for herself and ,mr4 ,coons7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh to authorize law enforcement agencies to use ,,cops grants for recruitment activities1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,recruit and ,retain ,act4 #b4 ,improving ,,cops grants for police hiring purposes 7a7 ,grant use expansion ,section #agja7;b7 of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcha7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#e7 through 7#bc7 as paragraphs 7#f7 through 7#bd71 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#d7 the following3 7#e7 to support hiring activities by law enforcement agencies experiencing declines in officer recruitment applications by reducing application-related fees1 such as fees for background checks1 psychological evaluations1 and testing4 4 7b7 ,technical amendment ,section #agja7;b77#bc7 of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcha7;b77#bc77 is amended by striking 7#ba7 and inserting 7#bb74 #c4 ,administrative costs ,section #agja of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcha7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7i7 through 7m7 as subsections 7j7 through 7n71 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7h7 the following3 7i7 ,administrative costs ,not more than #b percent of a grant made for the hiring or rehiring of additional career law enforcement officers may be used for costs incurred to administer such grant4 4 #d4 ,pipeline ,partnership ,program ,section #agja of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcha7 is amended by inserting after subsection 7n7 the following3 7o7 ,,cops ,pipeline ,partnership ,program 7#a7 ,eligible entity defined ,in this subsection1 the term eligible entity means a law enforcement agency in partnership with not less than #a educational institution1 which may include #a or any combination of the following3 7,a7 ,an elementary school4 7,b7 ,a post-secondary school4 7,c7 ,an institution of higher education4 7,d7 ,a ,hispanic-serving institution4 7,e7 ,a historically ,black college or university4 7,f7 ,a ,tribal college4 7#b7 ,grants ,the ,attorney ,general shall award competitive grants to eligible entities for recruiting activities that-- 7,a7 support substantial student engagement for the exploration of potential future career opportunities in law enforcement2 7,b7 strengthen recruitment by law enforcement agencies experiencing a decline in recruits1 or high rates of resignations or retirements2 7,c7 enhance community interactions between local youth and law enforcement agencies that are designed to increase recruiting2 and 7,d7 otherwise improve the outcomes of local law enforcement recruitment through activities such as dedicated programming for students1 work-based learning opportunities1 project-based learning1 mentoring1 community liaisons1 career or job fairs1 work site visits1 job shadowing1 apprenticeships1 or skills-based internships4 7#c7 ,funding ,of the amounts made available to carry out this part for a fiscal year1 the ,attorney ,general may use not more than #c1jjj1jjj to carry out this subsection4 4 #e4 ,,cops ,grant guidance for agencies operating below budgeted strength ,section #agjd of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajchd7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7d7 ,guidance for understaffed law enforcement agencies 7#a7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,covered applicant ,the term covered applicant means an applicant for a hiring grant under this part seeking funding for a law enforcement agency operating below the budgeted strength of the law enforcement agency4 7,b7 ,budgeted strength ,the term budgeted strength means the employment of the maximum number of sworn law enforcement officers the budget of a law enforcement agency allows the agency to employ4 7#b7 ,procedures ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,attorney ,general shall establish consistent procedures for covered applicants1 including guidance that-- 7,a7 clarifies that covered applicants remain eligible for funding under this part2 and 7,b7 enables covered applicants to attest that the funding from a grant awarded under this part is not being used by the law enforcement agency to supplant ,state or local funds1 as described in subsection 7a74 7#c7 ,paperwork reduction ,in developing the procedures and guidance under paragraph 7#b71 the ,attorney ,general shall take measures to reduce paperwork requirements for grants to covered applicants4 4 #f4 ,study on ,police ,recruitment 7a7 ,study 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall conduct a study to consider the comprehensive effects of recruitment and attrition rates on ,federal1 ,state1 ,tribal1 and local law enforcement agencies in the ,united ,states1 to identify-- 7,a7 the primary reasons that law enforcement officers-- 7i7 join law enforcement agencies2 and 7ii7 resign or retire from law enforcement agencies2 7,b7 how the reasons described in subparagraph 7,a7 may have changed over time2 7,c7 the effects of recruitment and attrition on public safety2 7,d7 the effects of electronic media on recruitment efforts2 7,e7 barriers to the recruitment and retention of ,federal1 ,state1 and local law enforcement officers2 and 7,f7 recommendations for potential ways to address barriers to the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers1 including the barriers identified in subparagraph 7,e74 7#b7 ,representative cross-section 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall endeavor to ensure accurate representation of law enforcement agencies in the study conducted pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 by surveying a broad cross-section of law enforcement agencies-- 7i7 from various regions of the ,united ,states2 7ii7 of different sizes2 and 7iii7 from rural1 suburban1 and urban jurisdictions4 7,b7 ,methods description ,the study conducted pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 shall include in the report under subsection 7b7 a description of the methods used to identify a representative sample of law enforcement agencies4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #edj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall-- 7#a7 submit to the ,committee on the ,judiciary of the ,senate and the ,committee on the ,judiciary of the ,house of ,representatives a report containing the study conducted under subsection 7a72 and 7#b7 make the report submitted under paragraph 7#a7 publicly available online4 7c7 ,confidentiality ,the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall ensure that the study conducted under subsection 7a7 protects the privacy of participating law enforcement agencies4