HR4024-119

What This Bill Does

The Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act provides emergency supplemental funding for police hiring grants. It appropriates $162 million for fiscal year 2025, available until expended, for additional grants to hire and rehire career law enforcement officers under the COPS hiring authority in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. A law enforcement agency using the money must perform a background check on each officer and ensure the officer undergoes a psychological evaluation. The agency must cover those screening costs using the appropriated funds or other agency funds. The bill designates the amounts as an emergency requirement under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, which affects budget enforcement treatment.

Who Benefits and How

Local law enforcement agencies benefit from additional COPS grant money to hire or rehire career officers. Career law enforcement officers benefit from federally supported hiring or rehiring opportunities. Public safety communities benefit if vacancies are filled and officer staffing increases. COPS hiring grant staff benefit from a dedicated supplemental appropriation for hiring grants.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Police applicants must complete background checks and psychological evaluations before being hired with the funds. Law enforcement agencies must pay screening costs from the grant or other agency funds. Federal taxpayers bear the $162,000,000 emergency appropriation. COPS program administrators must manage funding that remains available until expended.

Key Provisions

• Appropriates $162,000,000 for fiscal year 2025 COPS hiring and rehiring grants.
• Provides that the funds remain available until expended.
• Requires background checks for officers hired or rehired with the funds.
• Requires psychological evaluations for officers hired or rehired with the funds.
• Designates the funding as an emergency requirement.