SAFE Cities Act

Key Points

• The bill requires the Attorney General to publish and maintain a list of "anarchist jurisdictions" — cities or states the federal government determines have failed to stop violence or property destruction. The list must go up within 14 days of enactment and be updated every six months.
• A jurisdiction can be labeled "anarchist" for cutting police budgets, restricting officers from policing certain areas, having policies that prevent law enforcement from restoring order during violence, or refusing federal law enforcement help.
• Once labeled, federal agencies would be directed to restrict or deny those jurisdictions access to federal grants to the maximum extent the law allows. This could cut funding for local projects, infrastructure, social services, and more.
• The definition of "anarchist jurisdiction" is broad: any state or local government that "has refused to take reasonable steps to stop acts of violence and destruction of property." This vague standard gives the Attorney General significant discretion in deciding which cities make the list.