Bipartisan Coalition Introduces School Safety Bill

A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers composed of Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales (R) and Florida Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D), and Mario Díaz-Balart (R), has introduced the Single Application for School Safety Act (SASS) to improve access to federal school safety resources.

The bill promises to cut bureaucratic red tape by streamlining the application process for school safety grants. Instead of requiring multiple, complex applications, the bill mandates a single submission to the Department of Justice (DOJ), making it easier for schools and law enforcement agencies to secure funding for security enhancements.

These federal grants would provide critical funding for safety measures such as security cameras, door locks, intercom systems, and anonymous threat reporting platforms, ensuring that schools have the resources necessary to protect students and teachers.

In a statement, Rep. Díaz-Balart emphasized the importance of making school safety grants more accessible. "Ensuring school safety remains a top priority for our country. Applying for a school safety grant should not be difficult,” he said, adding that “to streamline the process and reduce bureaucratic delays, I, alongside my colleague Rep. Moskowitz, introduced the SASS Act."

The bill has drawn bipartisan support as lawmakers across party lines acknowledge the need to prioritize school security while ensuring federal resources are efficiently distributed.

Rep. Moskowitz, a strong advocate for school safety reforms, has pushed for measures to enhance security and emergency response protocols in schools nationwide. The SASS Act aligns with his other legislative efforts, such as the EAGLES Act and the Measures for Safer School Districts Act, which focus on improving school safety infrastructure and crisis intervention training.

With increasing concerns over school violence, lawmakers are hopeful that this bipartisan initiative will receive swift approval in the House, eventually making its wat to President Donald Trump’s (R) desk.