School Violence Prevention Act

Bill Number

H.R. 3968

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-12: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2025-12-16T09:05:16Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The School Violence Prevention Act (H.R. 3968) aims to create a federal program that funds school-based efforts to prevent gun violence among youth. It focuses on supporting young people in high-risk communities and schools who are most likely to be involved in or affected by gun violence, using evidence-based strategies to promote safety, mental health, and community well-being.

Key Provisions

• Grants for Programs: The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in consultation with the Secretary of Education, awards grants to partnerships between state or local educational agencies and community-based nonprofits. These grants fund or expand school-based violence prevention programs targeting students from kindergarten through 12th grade or youth under 19.
• Allowed Activities: Grant funds can support:
• Evidence-based programs that are culturally sensitive, trauma-informed (meaning they address emotional harm from past experiences), and inclusive of different languages and developmental stages. These include building self-esteem, healing from trauma, teaching skills like communication and conflict resolution, connecting youth to mentors or mental health support, fostering safe communities, and reducing risks of escalating violence.
• Technical assistance for schools and nonprofits to develop these programs.
• Partnerships involving youth, families, schools, businesses, and agencies.
• Training for teachers and school staff on trauma support, social-emotional learning (skills for managing emotions and relationships), and mental health.
• Data collection to track program effectiveness.
• Eligibility Criteria: Partnerships must serve areas with high violence levels, such as municipalities with at least 35 homicides per year (or 20 with a rate double the national average) in the past 2 of 3 years, high youth injury rates, or juvenile violent crime arrest rates double the national average. Areas with a "unique and compelling need" for resources can also qualify.
• Distribution and Duration: Grants are distributed fairly across U.S. regions, last 5 years, and can be renewed.
• Evaluation and Reporting:
• HHS and the Department of Education develop guidelines for grantees to measure outcomes, like graduation rates, employment, and postsecondary enrollment, broken down by student subgroups (e.g., race, income, disability).
• Grantees submit reports at the end of the second and final years of the grant.
• HHS reports to Congress every 3 years on program impacts, including tips for violence prevention during emergencies like public health crises.
• Independent researchers evaluate select programs, with results publicly available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
• Information Sharing: HHS shares best practices from the programs with the public.
• Funding: Authorizes $25 million annually from fiscal years 2025 through 2031. Grantees can use up to 20% of funds for evaluation, and HHS can reserve up to 5% for independent research.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act (specifically title V, part G, related to services through religious organizations and children and violence):

• Redesignates part G as part J and renames the old section 581 (on children and violence) to focus exclusively on the new "Comprehensive School-Based Violence Prevention Program."
• Replaces the prior content of section 581 with detailed provisions for gun violence prevention, shifting from a general focus on youth violence to targeted, school-based interventions for gun-related risks.
• Adds new requirements for partnerships, evidence-based strategies, and rigorous evaluation, while incorporating definitions from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (e.g., for "local educational agency").

These changes expand federal support for violence prevention by emphasizing gun violence in schools and high-risk communities, building on but replacing broader youth violence provisions.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: HHS and the Department of Education gain new responsibilities for grant administration, evaluation, and reporting, potentially increasing coordination between health and education sectors. The CDC will host public evaluation results, promoting transparency.
• On Citizens: Youth in high-violence areas may access better mental health support, mentoring, and skill-building, potentially reducing gun violence involvement, improving school safety, and boosting long-term outcomes like graduation and employment. Families and communities could see stronger partnerships and safer environments.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. school and community programs.
• Overall, it could lead to fewer violent incidents among youth, though success depends on effective implementation and funding availability.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Youth and Families: Primarily those in high-risk urban or underserved areas, including students in public schools (including Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools) facing gun violence risks.
• Educational Agencies: State and local school districts, which must partner to apply for and run programs.
• Community Organizations: Nonprofits serving youth and families, providing on-the-ground support like mentoring and crisis intervention.
• School Personnel: Teachers, leaders, and staff benefiting from training on trauma and mental health.
• Federal Agencies: HHS (leading grants and evaluations), Department of Education (consultation), and CDC (public dissemination).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens a public health approach to gun violence prevention without regulating firearms directly, aligning with existing federal authority under the Public Health Service Act to fund community health programs. Requires data disaggregation by protected subgroups, supporting anti-discrimination efforts in education law.
• Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; it promotes general welfare through voluntary grants and evidence-based interventions, respecting state and local control over education while providing federal incentives.
• Political: Could spark debate on federal involvement in local violence issues and gun policy, as it addresses root causes like trauma without Second Amendment restrictions. The focus on high-risk, often urban areas may highlight equity concerns, potentially influencing future funding for social services amid broader gun control discussions.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]

Cosponsors (30)

Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-12: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2025-06-12: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-12: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• School Violence Prevention Act — issued 2025-06-12 — PDF (10 pages)