COPS GRANT GUIDANCE FOR AGENCIES OPERATING BELOW BUDGETED STRENGTH.

SEC. 5. COPS GRANT GUIDANCE FOR AGENCIES OPERATING BELOW BUDGETED STRENGTH. Section 1704 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10384) is amended by adding at the end the following: “(d) Guidance for Understaffed Law Enforcement Agencies.— “(1) Definitions.—In this subsection: “(A) Covered applicant.—The term ‘covered applicant’ means an applicant for a hiring grant under this part seeking funding for a law enforcement agency operating below the budgeted strength of the law enforcement agency. “(B) Budgeted strength.—The term ‘budgeted strength’ means the employment of the maximum number of sworn law enforcement officers the budget of a law enforcement agency allows the agency to employ. “(2) Procedures.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall establish consistent procedures for covered applicants, including guidance that— “(A) clarifies that covered applicants remain eligible for funding under this part; and “(B) enables covered applicants to attest that the funding from a grant awarded under this part is not being used by the law enforcement agency to supplant State or local funds, as described in subsection (a). “(3) Paperwork reduction.—In developing the procedures and guidance under paragraph (2), the Attorney General shall take measures to reduce paperwork requirements for grants to covered applicants.” .