Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Right to Remain Safe Act of 2021”.
Right to Remain Safe Act of 2021
A BILL
To require a local government to waive sovereign immunity to receive any grant funds from the Department of Justice if such local government has defunded a municipal police department, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Ineligibility for Department of Justice grants with respect to defunding a municipal police department
In general— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, to be eligible for any grant funding from the Department of Justice, a local government applying for such a grant shall certify to the Attorney General that the municipal police department of such local government has not been defunded in either the current or prior fiscal year in which the local government is applying for such grant.
Exceptions—
Inability to pay— A local government that demonstrates that the municipal police department was defunded because of an inability to pay, including demonstrating decreases throughout the budget of the local government, shall be eligible for grant funding from the Department of Justice.
Waiver of sovereign immunity— A local government that has defunded the municipal police department shall be eligible for grant funding from the Department of Justice if such local government waives sovereign immunity with respect to a cause of action against the local government by an individual for property damages or damages for personal injuries as a result of the municipal police department being defunded.
Local government defined— In this section, the term “local government” means a municipality, city, town, township, a rural community, or unincorporated town or village.