HR 5430119th CongressIn Committee

FORTIFY Act

Introduced: Sep 17, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Gonzales, Tony [R-TX-23] (R-Texas)

Technology & Innovation

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The FORTIFY Act (Funding Officers and Resources To Increase Facility Youth Protection Act) amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the allowable uses of the federal matching grant program for school security. The bill specifically authorizes grant funds to be used for hiring school resource officers, purchasing firearms and protective equipment for these officers, and acquiring vehicles for their use. Additionally, it requires the Attorney General to provide technical assistance to help rural and underserved areas better access these grants and to report to Congress on the effectiveness of these efforts.

Key Points

1Authorizes federal school security grant funds to be used for hiring school resource officers in schools
2Permits grant money to purchase firearms and protective equipment specifically for school resource officers
3Allows funds to be used for purchasing various vehicles (including ATVs, golf carts, scooters, and bicycles) for school resource officer use
4Requires the Attorney General to provide technical assistance to improve grant access for rural and geographically underserved areas
5Mandates reporting to Congress on how technical assistance has improved access to grants for underserved communities

Impact Areas

K-12 Schools: Primary beneficiaries through increased funding options for security personnel and equipmentRural and Underserved Communities: Targeted for improved access to federal school security grants through technical assistanceLaw Enforcement: School resource officers would have expanded funding sources for hiring and equipmentFederal Budget: Expands eligible uses under existing grant program, potentially affecting allocation and oversight requirements

Generated by claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929 on Oct 2, 2025