8588.9. (a) The California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program is hereby established under the administration of the director to improve the physical security of nonprofit organizations, including schools, clinics, community centers, churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and similar locations that are at a high risk for violent attacks or hate crimes due to ideology, beliefs, or mission.
(b) The California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program shall do all of the following:
(1) Provide grants for the purpose of hardening soft targets that are nonprofit organizations and at a high risk for violent attacks and hate crimes, as described in subdivision (a). Grant money may be distributed to applicants for all of the following security enhancements:
(A) Security guards.
(B) Reinforced doors and gates.
(C) High-intensity lighting and alarms.
(D) Security training.
(E) Any other security enhancement consistent with the purpose of the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
(2) Allow award recipients to use grant funds for the purposes of paying staff or third-party contractors or consultants to assist with the management and administration of the grant funds awarded. Award recipients shall use no more than 5 percent of the grant funds awarded for the purpose stated in this subparagraph.
(3) Limit construction or renovation activities done in support of the target hardening activities related to security, such as installing additional emergency exits, to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of the grant funds awarded.
(c) An applicant shall not be granted an amount greater than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).
(d) The operation of the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program is contingent upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act for purposes of this section.
(e) The director shall adopt, as necessary, application procedures, forms, administrative guidelines, and other requirements for purposes of implementing and administering the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program. All application procedures, forms, administrative guidelines, and other requirements developed by the director pursuant to this subdivision shall be exempt from the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
(f) The Office of Emergency Services shall provide ongoing technical assistance for nonprofit organizations that require a vulnerability assessment for a state application to the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program or a threat assessment for a federal application to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program of the United States Department of Homeland Security.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 398, Sec. 1. (AB 1664) Effective January 1, 2023.)