Senate File 2248 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2248 BY WEINER , CELSI , WINCKLER , PETERSEN , TRONE GARRIOTT , GIDDENS , BOULTON , DOTZLER , and DONAHUE A BILL FOR An Act providing for the establishment of a nonprofit security 1 grant program, and making appropriations. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5273XS (2) 90 sc/ns

S.F. 2248 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 29C.26 Nonprofit security grant 1 program —— fund. 2 1. A nonprofit security grant program is established 3 under the administration and control of the department to 4 award grants to improve the physical security of nonprofit 5 organizations, including schools, clinics, community centers, 6 churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and similar locations, 7 that are at a high risk for violent attacks or hate crimes due 8 to ideology, beliefs, or mission. 9 2. A nonprofit security grant fund is created within the 10 state treasury under the control of the department. The 11 fund shall consist of appropriations made to the fund and 12 any other moneys available to and obtained or accepted by 13 the department for deposit in the fund. All moneys in the 14 fund are appropriated to the department for purposes of 15 administering the program and providing grants under the 16 program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund 17 that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of a 18 fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for 19 expenditure for the purposes designated. Notwithstanding 20 section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in 21 the fund shall be credited to the fund. 22 3. In administering the program, the department shall do all 23 of the following: 24 a. Award grants to nonprofit organizations for the purpose 25 of hardening nonprofit organizations that are soft targets 26 and at a high risk for violent attacks and hate crimes, as 27 described in subsection 1. 28 (1) An applicant may receive moneys under the program for 29 enhancements to the applicant’s security, including all of the 30 following: 31 (a) Security guards. 32 (b) Reinforced doors and gates. 33 (c) High-intensity lighting and alarms. 34 (d) Security training. 35 -1- LSB 5273XS (2) 90 sc/ns 1/ 3

S.F. 2248 (2) An applicant that provides support to another nonprofit 1 organization at a high risk for violent attacks and hate crimes 2 may receive moneys under the program for all of the following 3 purposes: 4 (a) Vulnerability assessments. 5 (b) Security trainings. 6 (c) Mass notification alert systems. 7 (d) Monitoring and response systems. 8 (e) Lifesaving emergency equipment. 9 b. Allow award recipients to pay staff, third-party 10 contractors, or consultants to assist with the management and 11 administration of the moneys awarded. Award recipients shall 12 not use more than five percent of the moneys awarded for the 13 purpose stated in this paragraph. 14 c. Limit construction or renovation activities related to 15 security, such as installing additional emergency exits, to one 16 hundred thousand dollars of the moneys awarded. 17 4. The department shall not grant an applicant an amount 18 greater than five hundred thousand dollars. 19 5. The department shall not take an applicant’s prior 20 history with or receipt of grant funding to improve its 21 physical security into account during the evaluation of the 22 entity’s application. 23 6. When evaluating applications, the department shall 24 consider the likelihood of an applicant being a target of hate- 25 motivated violence. 26 7. The department shall adopt, as necessary, application 27 procedures, forms, administrative guidelines, and other rules 28 pursuant to chapter 17A for purposes of implementing and 29 administering the program. 30 8. The department of homeland security and emergency 31 management shall provide ongoing technical assistance for 32 nonprofit organizations that require a vulnerability assessment 33 for a state application to the program or a threat assessment 34 for a federal application to the nonprofit security grant 35 -2- LSB 5273XS (2) 90 sc/ns 2/ 3

S.F. 2248 program of the United States department of homeland security. 1 This assistance shall include but not be limited to all of the 2 following: 3 a. A resource page on the department of homeland security 4 and emergency management’s internet site that describes 5 available resources for vulnerability assessments at no cost 6 to the applicant. 7 b. Continuous outreach to stakeholders on available 8 resources for vulnerability assessments outside the established 9 grant cycle. 10 EXPLANATION 11 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 12 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 13 This bill establishes a nonprofit security grant program 14 under the administration of the department of homeland security 15 and emergency management for the purpose of awarding grants 16 to improve the physical security of nonprofit organizations 17 at high risk for violent attacks or hate crimes. The bill 18 creates a nonprofit security grant fund under the control of 19 the department. The department may award up to $500,000 to 20 an applicant for its own security enhancements or to help 21 a nonprofit to which the applicant provides support. The 22 bill limits the amount that may be used for construction, 23 renovation, or paying staff, third-party contractors, or 24 consultants to assist with the management and administration of 25 the moneys awarded. The department is required to award grants 26 based on the risk level of an applicant for violent attacks 27 and hate crimes, without considering past grant applications 28 or awards. 29 The bill requires the department to adopt application 30 procedures, forms, administrative guidelines, and other rules 31 for implementing and administering the program and to provide 32 ongoing assistance to nonprofits, including through resources 33 on the department’s internet site and outreach to stakeholders. 34 -3- LSB 5273XS (2) 90 sc/ns 3/ 3