The Bodega Owner Defense Enhancement Grant Assistance Act of 2025 (BODEGA Act) would expand how Byrne-JAG grant funds under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 may be used. Specifically, it adds the installation of panic buttons and surveillance equipment in private businesses as an eligible use of Byrne-JAG funds. It also explicitly includes private businesses classified under NAICS code 445131 as eligible recipients. In short, the bill seeks to provide federal grant support to improve security infrastructure in certain small neighborhood retail businesses (often referred to as bodegas). This change would allow jurisdictions to fund security upgrades in eligible private stores, potentially increasing crime deterrence and faster police response, while raising questions about implementation, oversight, and privacy in private commercial spaces.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The bill is named the Bodega Owner Defense Enhancement Grant Assistance Act of 2025 (BODEGA Act).
- 2Additional grant use: Amends Section 501(a)(1) to add “the installation of panic buttons, and surveillance equipment in a private business” as an eligible use of Byrne-JAG grant funds.
- 3Expanded eligibility: Amends Section 501(b) to add a new category: private businesses that are classified under NAICS code 445131 as eligible recipients.
- 4Scope of program: The changes pertain specifically to Byrne-JAG (Byrne Justice Grants) established under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act; no new program created beyond expanding permissible uses and eligible recipients.
- 5Policy aim: Improve security for small, neighborhood private businesses (e.g., bodegas) by enabling access to federal funds for security hardware and alert systems.