Sponsors (5)
The bill directs federal grants and training to help public assembly venues prevent and respond to mass-violence and to support victims, but funding is limited, imposes a modest taxpayer cost, and ambiguous definitions could cause uneven implementation.
Students, worshippers, theatergoers, and other users of public assembly venues will get access to training and technical assistance so those locations can better prevent and respond to mass-violence incidents.
State and local governments will be able to receive federal grant funding to help pay for preparedness measures instead of bearing the full cost locally.
Nonprofit victim-service organizations may receive funding to provide compensation and support services to survivors and families after mass-violence events.
Public assembly facilities and local governments may still lack adequate protection or training because the program’s limited funding won’t cover all high-risk sites nationwide.
Grant eligibility and program terms rely on definitions (e.g., "targeted violence," "public assembly facility") that could be applied unevenly, creating uncertainty for applicants and implementers.
Taxpayers indirectly fund roughly $20 million in federal grants, which diverts federal dollars that could be used for other priorities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Reserves $20 million for grants to states, local governments, and nonprofit victim-service organizations for compensation, training, and technical assistance to protect public assembly facilities from mass violence.
Introduced April 3, 2025 by Joseph Neguse · Last progress April 3, 2025
Provides $20,000,000 in grant funding administered by the Attorney General to states, units of local government, and nonprofit victim-service organizations to support compensation, training, and technical assistance for public assembly facilities to prepare for and protect against mass violence. Adds statutory definitions clarifying “mass violence,” “active shooter,” “targeted violence,” and “public assembly facility.”