The Auto Theft Prevention Act creates a new federal grant program run by the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The Director must set up the program within 60 days of the law taking effect. States apply through their Attorney General and must provide evidence that they need federal help, show what they did the prior year to reduce auto theft, and describe how they will use and evaluate the grant funds. The Director may award grants and is to prioritize States with higher levels of auto theft.
Grant awards to a recipient State must be distributed by that State's Attorney General as follows: at least 50% as competitive subgrants to local law enforcement agencies (prioritizing localities with higher auto theft rates), at least 25% to State law enforcement agencies, and the remaining funds as competitive subgrants to local or State agencies with the same local prioritization. Allowed uses include buying equipment (for example, law enforcement vehicles and license plate readers), paying subscription or data storage fees for such equipment, hiring officers and support staff, funding overtime and extra compensation, providing training, supporting joint task forces, funding data collection or research on auto theft, and up to 5% for administrative costs of applying for and running the grant. The bill authorizes $30,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2030 to carry out the program. The bill also amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to add combating auto theft and stolen automobile trafficking to allowed uses of COPS grant funds.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.