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119-hr-198119th Congress

SERVE Our Communities Act

Sponsored By: Representative Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]

Introduced

Summary

Reduce repeat violent offenses and fund reentry services. This bill creates a new federal grant program to pay for mentoring, transitional services, and training to help people reenter the community after incarceration. To qualify for grants, states and local governments must allow courts to consider the danger an individual poses when setting bail or pretrial release and show they took steps in the previous year to prevent violent reoffending.

Show full summary
  • People leaving prison can get federally funded mentoring, training, and transitional supports aimed at lowering repeat violent crimes.
  • State and local governments can receive grants from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to run those programs.
  • To be eligible, jurisdictions must permit courts to weigh community danger in bail decisions and must have taken steps last year such as changing bail laws, expanding hiring or retention of law enforcement or prosecutors, or running public education to improve police-community relations.

*Authorizes $10.0 million per year from 2026 through 2031 for the new grant program, increasing federal spending.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Public safety grants for states and cities

If enacted, the government would create a grant program run by the Attorney General through the Bureau of Justice Assistance. It would offer grants to states and local governments. The bill would authorize $10 million each year from FY2026 through FY2031. To qualify, a state or city would need to let courts consider danger to the community when setting bail or pretrial release. It would also need to have taken steps in the prior year to prevent repeat violent offenses, such as passing that bail rule, expanding hiring and retention of police and prosecutors, or running public education to improve community‑police relations and combat anti‑police sentiment. Grant money could be used only for the purposes listed in section 211(b) of the Second Chance Act of 2007.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]

NY • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 1/3/2025

  • Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 1/3/2025

  • Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 1/3/2025

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 1/3/2025

  • Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 1/3/2025

  • Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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