Bill Summary
The "Strengthen and Tackle Opportunities to Prevent Violence Act of 2025" (STOP Violence Act of 2025) aims to enhance public safety by amending the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The legislation allocates an additional $20 million in grants, administered by the Attorney General, to states, local governments, and nonprofits that assist crime victims. These funds are designated for compensating, training, and providing technical support to public assembly facilities, helping them prepare for and protect against mass violence incidents, such as active shooter situations and targeted violence. The bill defines key terms related to mass violence, including "active shooter," "targeted violence," and "public assembly facility," to clarify its scope and intent.
Possible Impacts
The "Strengthen and Tackle Opportunities to Prevent Violence Act of 2025" (STOP Violence Act of 2025) could affect people in the following ways:
1. **Increased Safety Measures at Public Venues**: With the provision of additional grants, public assembly facilities such as schools, concert venues, and places of worship may receive funding to implement enhanced security measures. This could include hiring security personnel, installing surveillance systems, or conducting emergency preparedness training for staff and attendees, leading to a perceived increase in safety among visitors.
2. **Support for Victims of Mass Violence**: Nonprofit organizations that serve victims of crime could receive funding to provide support services, such as counseling and legal assistance, to individuals and families affected by mass violence incidents. This could improve the recovery process for victims and help them navigate the challenges following a traumatic event, fostering a sense of community support and healing.
3. **Training and Preparedness Programs**: The Act could fund training programs for local law enforcement and facility staff on how to respond to active shooter situations or targeted violence. Such training would equip them with the skills needed to respond effectively during crises, potentially reducing casualties and improving outcomes in the event of an incident. This could also alleviate fears among community members regarding their safety in public spaces.
These examples illustrate the potential impacts of the legislation on individuals and communities in terms of safety, support, and preparedness against mass violence.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2649 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2649
To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to
provide for additional grant amounts for protection against mass
violence.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 3, 2025
Mr. Neguse (for himself, Ms. Titus, and Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to
provide for additional grant amounts for protection against mass
violence.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthen and Tackle Opportunities
to Prevent Violence Act of 2025'' or as the ``STOP Violence Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL GRANT AMOUNTS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST MASS VIOLENCE.
Section 506 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10157) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking the ``and'' at
the end;
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) $20,000,000, to be granted by the Attorney General to
States, units of local governments, and other nonprofit
organizations that serve victims of crime to provide
compensation, training, and technical assistance to public
assembly facilities to prepare against mass violence and to
protect public assembly facilities from mass violence.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) In this section:
``(1) The term `mass violence' includes active shooter
incidents and targeted violence.
``(2) The term `active shooter' means an individual
actively engaged in the unauthorized killing or attempting to
kill a person or persons in a confined and populated area with
a firearm.
``(3) The term `target violence' means an incident of
violence where an assailant who is known or knowable to a law
enforcement agency for a jurisdiction where the assailant
resides, identifies a particular target prior to a violent
attack, which may be one or more individuals, a class or
category of individuals, or an institution, without regard to
whether the assailant is able to successfully harm the chosen
target.
``(4) The term `public assembly facility' means a permanent
or temporary structure or facility, place, or activity where
concentrations of people gather in reasonably close quarters
for purposes including deliberation, education, worship,
shopping, employment, entertainment, recreation, sporting
events, or similar activities.''.
<all>