Title 34NavyRelease 119-73

§30503 Support for criminal investigations and prosecutions by State, local, and tribal law enforcement officials

Title 34 › Subtitle Subtitle III— - Prevention of Particular Crimes › Chapter CHAPTER 305— - HATE CRIMES › § 30503

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Attorney General can help State, local, and tribal police with investigations and prosecutions when the crime is violent or a felony under local law and is a hate crime. A hate crime here means it was motivated by bias against a person’s race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, or it breaks local hate crime laws. When giving help, the Attorney General must give priority to offenders who committed crimes in more than one State and to rural areas that cannot afford high investigation or prosecution costs. The Attorney General can also give grants to cover extra costs for investigating or prosecuting hate crimes. The Office of Justice Programs must work closely with grant recipients and include community groups and schools in planning. Agencies must apply during a 60-day window set by the Attorney General and must provide information the Attorney General requires. Applications must explain why the money is needed, certify the jurisdiction lacks the resources, show coordination with nonprofit victim services, and promise federal funds will supplement (not replace) other funds. The Attorney General must approve or deny applications within 180 business days. Grants are capped at $100,000 per jurisdiction per year. The Attorney General had to report to Congress by December 31, 2011 about applications and spending. Congress authorized $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Full Legal Text

Title 34, §30503

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(a)(1)At the request of a State, local, or tribal law enforcement agency, the Attorney General may provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or any other form of assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that—
(A)constitutes a crime of violence;
(B)constitutes a felony under the State, local, or tribal laws; and
(C)is motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim, or is a violation of the State, local, or tribal hate crime laws.
(2)In providing assistance under paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall give priority to crimes committed by offenders who have committed crimes in more than one State and to rural jurisdictions that have difficulty covering the extraordinary expenses relating to the investigation or prosecution of the crime.
(b)(1)The Attorney General may award grants to State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies for extraordinary expenses associated with the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.
(2)In implementing the grant program under this subsection, the Office of Justice Programs shall work closely with grantees to ensure that the concerns and needs of all affected parties, including community groups and schools, colleges, and universities, are addressed through the local infrastructure developed under the grants.
(3)(A)Each State, local, and tribal law enforcement agency that desires a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by or containing such information as the Attorney General shall reasonably require.
(B)Applications submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be submitted during the 60-day period beginning on a date that the Attorney General shall prescribe.
(C)A State, local, and tribal law enforcement agency applying for a grant under this subsection shall—
(i)describe the extraordinary purposes for which the grant is needed;
(ii)certify that the State, local government, or Indian tribe lacks the resources necessary to investigate or prosecute the hate crime;
(iii)demonstrate that, in developing a plan to implement the grant, the State, local, and tribal law enforcement agency has consulted and coordinated with nonprofit, nongovernmental victim services programs that have experience in providing services to victims of hate crimes; and
(iv)certify that any Federal funds received under this subsection will be used to supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available for activities funded under this subsection.
(4)An application for a grant under this subsection shall be approved or denied by the Attorney General not later than 180 business days after the date on which the Attorney General receives the application.
(5)A grant under this subsection shall not exceed $100,000 for any single jurisdiction in any 1-year period.
(6)Not later than December 31, 2011, the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a report describing the applications submitted for grants under this subsection, the award of such grants, and the purposes for which the grant amounts were expended.
(7)There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 3716 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

34 U.S.C. § 30503

Title 34Navy

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73