HB 1887 — An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, establishing the Safe Communities Grant Program and the Safe Communities Grant Program Fund; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

PRINTER'S NO.   2348

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1887
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY GREEN, HILL-EVANS, KINKEAD, SANCHEZ, KAZEEM, KHAN,
        CERRATO, GIRAL, PROBST, OTTEN, D. WILLIAMS, MAYES,
        HOHENSTEIN, BOYD, PARKER, CIRESI, K.HARRIS AND WAXMAN,
        SEPTEMBER 26, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, establishing the Safe Communities
 3      Grant Program and the Safe Communities Grant Program Fund;
 4      and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime
 5      and Delinquency.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.    Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 9   Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
10                                CHAPTER 58A
11                       SAFE COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM
12   Sec.
13   58A01.   Definitions.
14   58A02.   Grant program.
15   58A03.   Safe Communities Grant Program Fund.
16   58A04.   Applications.
17   58A05.   Award of program grants.
18   58A06.   Reports.
 1   § 58A01.    Definitions.
 2      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
 3   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
 4   context clearly indicates otherwise:
 5      "Commission."     The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
 6   Delinquency.
 7      "Eligible applicant."     A municipality located within this
 8   Commonwealth that has not received a grant from the program in
 9   the previous five years.
10      "Fund."     The Safe Communities Grant Program Fund established
11   under section 58A03 (relating to Safe Communities Grant Program
12   Fund).
13      "Municipality."     A county, city, borough, incorporated town,
14   township, home rule municipality, optional plan municipality,
15   optional charter municipality or similar general purpose unit of
16   government that may be created or authorized by statute or
17   school district.
18      "Program."     The Safe Communities Grant Program established
19   under section 58A02 (relating to grant program).
20   § 58A02.    Grant program.
21      (a)     Establishment.--The Safe Communities Grant Program is
22   established as a competitive grant program within the
23   commission.
24      (b)     Deposits.--Money appropriated to the program by the
25   General Assembly shall be deposited into the fund.
26      (c)     Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to award grants
27   to improve public health and safety around this Commonwealth
28   through the installation and maintenance of lighting or security
29   cameras, or both, in and around high crime areas, as determined
30   by the commission, with priority to be given to schools,

20250HB1887PN2348                    - 2 -
 1   playgrounds and recreation and senior centers.
 2      (d)     Administration.--The commission shall administer the
 3   program.
 4      (e)     Public notice.--The commission shall provide information
 5   regarding the availability and award of program grant money on
 6   the commission's publicly accessible Internet website.
 7   § 58A03.    Safe Communities Grant Program Fund.
 8      (a)     Establishment.--The Safe Communities Grant Program Fund
 9   is established as a separate fund in the State Treasury.
10      (b)     Appropriation.--All money deposited into the fund and
11   interest earned on the money in the fund are appropriated to the
12   commission on a continuing basis to award grants under this
13   chapter.
14   § 58A04.    Applications.
15      (a)     Forms.--The commission shall develop annual grant
16   application forms for any eligible applicants that seek a
17   program grant. At a minimum, the forms shall contain the
18   following information:
19            (1)   The name, address and contact information of the
20      municipality.
21            (2)   The amount of program grant money requested.
22            (3)   The proposed use for the requested program grant
23      money.
24            (4)   If applicable, a detailed plan describing the
25      monitoring of any security cameras installed with money from
26      the program.
27            (5)   If applicable, a detailed maintenance plan for any
28      lighting installed with money from the program.
29            (6)   Any other information that the commission deems
30      necessary and appropriate.

20250HB1887PN2348                    - 3 -
 1      (b)     Application period.--Beginning no later than 180 days
 2   after the effective date of this section, the commission shall
 3   begin accepting and processing applications. For all subsequent
 4   years, the commission shall establish an application period
 5   during which applications for grants under this chapter are
 6   accepted.
 7   § 58A05.    Award of program grants.
 8      (a)     Review.--After review of the information provided under
 9   each applicant's submitted application form, the commission
10   shall determine whether to award grant program money to the
11   applicant and, if so, the amount of the program grant money
12   awarded.
13      (b)     Allocation.--The commission may not award a grant in
14   excess of $25,000 nor provide grants in excess of the amount in
15   the fund.
16      (c)     Competitive nature of awards.--Program grants shall be
17   awarded on a competitive basis to eligible applicants. In
18   awarding program grants, the commission shall:
19            (1)   Give preference to applicants whose grant proposals
20      demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the number of
21      persons victimized by gun violence in their community.
22            (2)   Consider the scope of the applicant's proposal and
23      the applicant's demonstrated need for additional resources to
24      effectively reduce gun violence in the affected municipality.
25      (d)     Time periods.--
26            (1)   The commission shall approve or deny an application
27      no later than 60 days after the receipt of the application.
28            (2)   If the commission fails to approve or deny within 60
29      days after the receipt of the application, the application
30      shall be deemed denied.

20250HB1887PN2348                    - 4 -
 1      (e)     Notice.--
 2            (1)   The commission shall provide written notice to the
 3      applicant of the award or denial of the program grant money.
 4            (2)   Notice of the award of program grant money shall
 5      include the amount of the program grant money awarded and any
 6      conditions or restrictions on the use of the program grant
 7      money.
 8            (3)   Notice of the denial of all or part of the program
 9      grant money requested shall include the reasons for the full
10      or partial denial.
11   § 58A06.    Reports.
12      No less than every three years, the commission shall prepare
13   and submit a report to the General Assembly regarding the rate
14   of gun violence in municipalities that received grants from the
15   program.
16      Section 2.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB1887PN2348                    - 5 -