SF 2248 (LSB 5273XS (2) 90)

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 grant program, and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  29C.26  Nonprofit security grant program —— fund.
   1.  A nonprofit security grant program is established under the administration and control of the department to award grants to improve the physical security of nonprofit organizations, including schools, clinics, community centers, churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and similar locations, that are at a high risk for violent attacks or hate crimes due to ideology, beliefs, or mission.
   2.  A nonprofit security grant fund is created within the state treasury under the control of the department. The fund shall consist of appropriations made to the fund and any other moneys available to and obtained or accepted by the department for deposit in the fund. All moneys in the fund are appropriated to the department for purposes of administering the program and providing grants under the program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of a fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund.
   3.  In administering the program, the department shall do all of the following:
   a.  Award grants to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of hardening nonprofit organizations that are soft targets and at a high risk for violent attacks and hate crimes, as described in subsection 1.
   (1)  An applicant may receive moneys under the program for enhancements to the applicant’s security, including all of the following:
   (a)  Security guards.
   (b)  Reinforced doors and gates.
   (c)  High-intensity lighting and alarms.
   (d)  Security training.
   (2)  An applicant that provides support to another nonprofit organization at a high risk for violent attacks and hate crimes may receive moneys under the program for all of the following purposes:
   (a)  Vulnerability assessments.
   (b)  Security trainings.
   (c)  Mass notification alert systems.
   (d)  Monitoring and response systems.
   (e)  Lifesaving emergency equipment.
   b.  Allow award recipients to pay staff, third-party contractors, or consultants to assist with the management and administration of the moneys awarded. Award recipients shall not use more than five percent of the moneys awarded for the purpose stated in this paragraph.
   c.  Limit construction or renovation activities related to security, such as installing additional emergency exits, to one hundred thousand dollars of the moneys awarded.
   4.  The department shall not grant an applicant an amount greater than five hundred thousand dollars.
   5.  The department shall not take an applicant’s prior history with or receipt of grant funding to improve its physical security into account during the evaluation of the entity’s application.
   6.  When evaluating applications, the department shall consider the likelihood of an applicant being a target of hate- motivated violence.
   7.  The department shall adopt, as necessary, application procedures, forms, administrative guidelines, and other rules pursuant to chapter 17A for purposes of implementing and administering the program.
   8.  The department of homeland security and emergency management shall provide ongoing technical assistance for nonprofit organizations that require a vulnerability assessment for a state application to the program or a threat assessment for a federal application to the nonprofit security grant program of the United States department of homeland security. This assistance shall include but not be limited to all of the following:
   a.  A resource page on the department of homeland security and emergency management’s internet site that describes available resources for vulnerability assessments at no cost to the applicant.
   b.  Continuous outreach to stakeholders on available resources for vulnerability assessments outside the established grant cycle.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a nonprofit security grant program under the administration of the department of homeland security and emergency management for the purpose of awarding grants to improve the physical security of nonprofit organizations at high risk for violent attacks or hate crimes. The bill creates a nonprofit security grant fund under the control of the department. The department may award up to $500,000 to an applicant for its own security enhancements or to help a nonprofit to which the applicant provides support. The bill limits the amount that may be used for construction, renovation, or paying staff, third-party contractors, or consultants to assist with the management and administration of the moneys awarded. The department is required to award grants based on the risk level of an applicant for violent attacks and hate crimes, without considering past grant applications or awards.
   The bill requires the department to adopt application procedures, forms, administrative guidelines, and other rules for implementing and administering the program and to provide ongoing assistance to nonprofits, including through resources on the department’s internet site and outreach to stakeholders.