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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
06/01/2024 06:22 PM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20230&cosponId=41586
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House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: October 12, 2023 02:09 PM
From: Representative Jordan A. Harris and Rep. Jared G. Solomon, Rep. Jason Dawkins, Rep. Ben Waxman, Rep. Tarik Khan
To: All House members
Subject: Increasing the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program
 
In 2019, the General Assembly created legislation that established the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program at the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency ("PCCD"). This program appropriated $5,000,000 to assist nonprofit organizations that principally serve individuals, groups, or institutions that may have been – or may be strongly susceptible to — a hate crime incident.
 
Since this program started almost five years ago, the threats to groups susceptible to hate crimes have not diminished. The Commonwealth saw a sharp increase in hate crimes in 2021, with 255 reported, according to data maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police. In 2022, that number increased to 293. It is incumbent upon the General Assembly to provide additional resources to these groups.
 
Soon, we plan to introduce legislation to increase the appropriated money to this grant program that supports groups susceptible to hate crimes from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000. This increase would help offset the cost of security enhancements designed to protect the safety and security of the users of a facility located in the Commonwealth that is owned or operated by the nonprofit. Specifically, the grant aims to assist the nonprofit with safety and security planning by providing funds to purchase safety and security equipment, security-related technology, safety and security training, threat awareness and response training, and upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety and security.
 
Please join us by co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation. Together, we can send a message to the most vulnerable that we are here to help and hate has no place here.
 


Introduced as HB1772