H.R. 6715 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6715 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 11, 2023Ms. Velázquez (for herself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Clarke of New York, and Ms. Williams of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce A BILL To direct the Secretary of Education to make grants for hate crime prevention and prejudice reduction education, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Education Against Hate Crimes Act of 2023. 2. Grants for hate crime prevention and prejudice reduction education (a) Grants authorized Beginning not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to assist such entities in conducting hate crime prevention and prejudice reduction education for secondary school students and students in middle grades. (b) Curriculum requirements Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General, shall develop requirements for the curriculum of the hate crime prevention and prejudice reduction education conducted with a grant under this section. (c) Grant amount The amount of a grant awarded under this section shall not exceed $1,500,000 for any fiscal year. (d) Applications (1) In general To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (2) Priority In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that will provide hate crime prevention and prejudice reduction education in geographic areas where there is disproportionate hate crime activity relative to the total population of the area. The Secretary may consult with the Attorney General to identify eligible entities that meet the requirements for priority consideration under this paragraph. (e) Reporting requirements On an annual basis in each year for which an eligible entity receives a grant under this section, the entity shall submit to the Secretary a report that includes— (1) a description of how the grant was used; (2) the number of secondary school students who enrolled in and completed a program of hate crime prevention and prejudice reduction education; (3) the number of teachers who provided instruction to students in hate crime prevention and prejudice reduction education; and (4) a description of the strategies and best practices employed to achieve the objectives under the grant. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Hate crime and prejudice reduction education The term hate crime and prejudice reduction education means culturally relevant education (available in multiple languages, consistent with census data and demographics of the area which the education will be provided) to prevent, address, deter, and dissuade crimes against persons or an individual’s property due to the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, age, or sexual orientation of any person. (2) Eligibile entity The term eligible entity means a State, a local educational agency, or a nonprofit organization. (3) ESEA terms The terms local educational agency, middle grades, secondary school, and Secretary have the meanings given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). (4) State The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands. (g) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2024 through 2034.