Faith-based grants bill signed into law

Gov. Tom Wolf has signed into law bipartisan legislation to provide security grants to faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations, according to Sen. David G. Argall, who sponsored similar legislation earlier this year.

House Bill 859 would make grants available to faith-based institutions and nonprofits that serve individuals, groups, or institutions listed by the FBI as at risk for hate crime incidents.

“Schools and other community institutions should be a safe place for every child and resident,” said Wolf. “I thank the bipartisan efforts that helped ensure safety and security funding was available for these nonprofit, community institutions where people gather and should have peace of mind.”

The program is similar to the School Safety Security Grant Program, which helps schools meet a variety of security needs. Argall introduced legislation this year to expand the program to nonpublic schools, after chairing ten statewide public hearings on the subject of school safety in 2018.

“We have made a lot of progress toward protecting our schools and providing a safer environment for young people, especially in the past two years,” Argall said. “This bill allows us to apply the same approach – and the same protections – to residents of our communities who suffer from the greatest risks of violence.”

Grant awards will range from $5,000 to $150,000. Faith-based institutions and nonprofits could utilize the grant dollars for a variety of security planning, equipment, and technology needs, including metal detectors, surveillance cameras, emergency communications equipment, electronic locksets, threat assessments, and building upgrades.