article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``National Police Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act of 1999''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress makes the following findings: (1) The goals of the Police Athletic League are to-- (A) increase the academic success of youth participants in PAL programs; (B) promote a safe, healthy environment for youth under the supervision of law enforcement personnel where mutual trust and respect can be built; (C) increase school attendance by providing alternatives to suspensions and expulsions; (D) reduce the juvenile crime rate in participating designated communities and the number of police calls involving juveniles during nonschool hours; (E) provide youths with alternatives to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and gang activity; (F) create positive communications and interaction between youth and law enforcement personnel; and (G) prepare youth for the workplace. (2) The Police Athletic League, during its 55-year history as a national organization, has proven to be a positive force in the communities it serves. (3) The Police Athletic League is a network of 1,700 facilities serving over 3,000 communities. There are 320 PAL chapters throughout the United States, the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, serving 1,500,000 youths, ages 5 to 18, nationwide. (4) Based on PAL chapter demographics, approximately 82 percent of the youths who benefit from PAL programs live in inner cities and urban areas. (5) PAL chapters are locally operated, volunteer-driven organizations. Although most PAL chapters are sponsored by a law enforcement agency, PAL chapters receive no direct funding from law enforcement agencies and are dependent in large part on support from the private sector, such as individuals, business leaders, corporations, and foundations. PAL chapters have been exceptionally successful in balancing public funds with private sector donations and maximizing community involvement. (6) Today's youth face far greater risks than did their parents and grandparents. Law enforcement statistics demonstrate that youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are at risk of committing violent acts and being victims of violent acts between the hours of 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. (7) Greater numbers of students are dropping out of school and failing in school, even though the consequences of academic failure are more dire in 1999 than ever before. (8) Many distressed areas in the United States are still underserved by PAL chapters. SEC. 3. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Act is to provide adequate resources in the form of-- (1) assistance for the 320 established PAL chapters to increase of services to the communities they are serving; and (2) seed money for the establishment of 250 (50 per year over a 5-year period) additional local PAL chapters in public housing projects and other distressed areas, including distressed areas with a majority population of Native Americans, by not later than fiscal year 2005. SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Assistant attorney general.--The term ``Assistant Attorney General'' means the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice. (2) Distressed area.--The term ``distressed area'' means an urban, suburban, or rural area with a high percentage of high- risk youth, as defined in section 509A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa-8(f)). (3) PAL chapter.--The term ``PAL chapter'' means a chapter of a Police or Sheriff's Athletic/Activities League. (4) Police athletic league.--The term ``Police Athletic League'' means the private, nonprofit, national representative organization for 320 Police or Sheriff's Athletic/Activities Leagues throughout the United States (including the Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico). (5) Public housing; project.--The terms ``public housing'' and ``project'' have the meanings given those terms in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)). SEC. 5. GRANTS AUTHORIZED. (a) In General.--For each of fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, the Assistant Attorney General shall award a grant to the Police Athletic League for the purpose of establishing PAL chapters to serve public housing projects and other distressed areas, and expanding existing PAL chapters to serve additional youths. (b) Application.-- (1) Submission.--In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, the Police Athletic League shall submit to the Assistant Attorney General an application, which shall include-- (A) a long-term strategy to establish 250 additional PAL chapters and detailed summary of those areas in which new PAL chapters will be established, or in which existing chapters will be expanded to serve additional youths, during the next fiscal year; (B) a plan to ensure that there are a total of not less than 570 PAL chapters in operation before January 1, 2003; (C) a certification that there will be appropriate coordination with those communities where new PAL chapters will be located; and (D) an explanation of the manner in which new PAL chapters will operate without additional, direct Federal financial assistance once assistance under this Act is discontinued. (2) Review.--The Assistant Attorney General shall review and take action on an application submitted under paragraph (1) not later than 120 days after the date of such submission. SEC. 6. USE OF FUNDS. (a) In General.-- (1) Assistance for new and expanded chapters.--Amounts made available under a grant awarded under this Act shall be used by the Police Athletic League to provide funding for the establishment of PAL chapters serving public housing projects and other distressed areas, or the expansion of existing PAL chapters. (2) Program requirements.--Each new or expanded PAL chapter assisted under paragraph (1) shall carry out not less than 4 programs during nonschool hours, of which-- (A) not less than 2 programs shall provide-- (i) mentoring assistance; (ii) academic assistance; (iii) recreational and athletic activities; or (iv) technology training; and (B) any remaining programs shall provide-- (i) drug, alcohol, and gang prevention activities; (ii) health and nutrition counseling; (iii) cultural and social programs; (iv) conflict resolution training, anger management, and peer pressure training; (v) job skill preparation activities; or (vi) Youth Police Athletic League Conferences or Youth Forums. (b) Additional Requirements.--In carrying out the programs under subsection (a), a PAL chapter shall, to the maximum extent practicable-- (1) use volunteers from businesses, academic communities, social organizations, and law enforcement organizations to serve as mentors or to assist in other ways; (2) ensure that youth in the local community participate in designing the after-school activities; (3) develop creative methods of conducting outreach to youth in the community; (4) request donations of computer equipment and other materials and equipment; and (5) work with State and local park and recreation agencies so that activities funded with amounts made available under a grant under this Act will not duplicate activities funded from other sources in the community served. SEC. 7. REPORTS. (a) Report to Assistant Attorney General.--For each fiscal year for which a grant is awarded under this Act, the Police Athletic League shall submit to the Assistant Attorney General a report on the use of amounts made available under the grant. (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than May 1 of each fiscal year for which amounts are made available to carry out this Act, the Assistant Attorney General shall submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate a report that details the progress made under this Act in establishing and expanding PAL chapters in public housing projects and other distressed areas, and the effectiveness of the PAL programs in reducing drug abuse, school dropouts, and juvenile crime. SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2004. (b) Funding for Program Administration.--Of the amount made available to carry out this Act in each fiscal year-- (1) not less than 2 percent shall be used for research and evaluation of the grant program under this Act; (2) not less than 1 percent shall be used for technical assistance related to the use of amounts made available under grants awarded under this Act; and (3) not less than 1 percent shall be used for the management and administration of the grant program under this Act, except that the total amount made available under this paragraph for administration of that program shall not exceed 6 percent. SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act shall take effect on October 1, 1999.
summary: National Police Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act of 1999 - Directs the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice, for each of FY 2000 through 2004, to award a grant to the Police Athletic League (PAL) for the purposes of establishing PAL chapters to serve public housing projects and other distressed areas and expanding existing chapters to serve additional youths. Requires PAL, in order to be eligible to receive a grant, to submit to the Assistant Attorney General an application which shall include: (1) a long-term strategy to establish 250 additional chapters and a detailed summary of those areas in which new chapters will be established, or in which existing chapters will be expanded to serve additional youths, during the next fiscal year; (2) a plan to ensure that there are a total of not less than 570 chapters in operation before January 1, 2003; (3) a certification that there will be appropriate coordination with those communities where new chapters will be located; and (4) an explanation of the manner in which new chapters will operate without additional, direct Federal financial assistance once assistance under this Act is discontinued. Directs the Assistant Attorney General to review, and take action on, an application within 120 days after the date of submission. (Sec. 6) Directs that amounts made available under a grant awarded under this Act be used by the PAL to provide funding for the establishment of PAL chapters serving public housing projects and other distressed areas, or the expansion of existing PAL chapters. Requires that each new or expanded PAL chapter assisted carry out not less than four programs during non-school hours, of which: (1) not less than two programs shall provide mentoring assistance, academic assistance, recreational and athletic activities, or technology training; and (2) any remaining programs shall provide drug, alcohol, and gang prevention activities; health and nutrition counseling; cultural and social programs; conflict resolution training, anger management, and peer pressure training; job skill preparation activities; or Youth Police Athletic League Conferences or Youth Forums. (Sec. 7) Sets forth reporting requirements. (Sec. 8) Authorizes appropriations. Sets aside specified percentages of grant sums for research and evaluation, technical assistance, and management and administration.