H.R. 2985 – Rural Area Opioid Prevention Pilot Program Act

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Updated February 8, 2026 at 2:34 AM UTC

The Rural Area Opioid Prevention Pilot Program Act amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act to let rural communities apply for grants under the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program. It creates a pilot program that lets local governments work with public safety, health, and behavioral‑health agencies to develop community‑response efforts aimed at reducing opioid overdoses and offering alternatives to incarceration. The law also requires that at least 10 % of all grants go to rural areas and formally defines what counts as a “rural area.”

Key Provisions

Adds a new eligibility category for rural pilot programs that focus on alternatives to incarceration and reducing opioid overdose deaths.
Grants for these pilots must be jointly run by local governments and public safety, health, and behavioral‑health partners, and must identify gaps in prevention, treatment, and recovery services and set treatment protocols.
Allows the Attorney General to increase grant amounts by up to 5 % for two years after a rural area submits prescribing data and ensures data sharing across states and electronic health records.
Requires that no less than 10 % of all grants under the program be awarded to rural areas.
Provides a definition of “rural area” referencing the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

November 9, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 4, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

May 4, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

November 9, 2021

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued May 4, 2021

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2985

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 4, 2021

Mr. Lamb (for himself, Mr. Feenstra, Ms. Spanberger, and Mrs. Miller-Meeks) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for the eligibility of rural community response pilot programs for funding under the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Rural Area Opioid Prevention Pilot Program Act.

2.

Eligibility of rural community response pilot programs for funding under the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program

Section 3021 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10701) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)(1)—

(A)

in subparagraph (F), by striking and;

(B)

in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(H)

a pilot program for rural areas to implement community response programs that focus on presenting alternatives to incarceration and reducing opioid overdose deaths, as described in subsection (f).

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(f)

Rural pilot program

The pilot program described under this subsection shall make grants to rural areas to implement community response programs to reduce opioid overdose deaths. Grants issued under this subsection shall be jointly operated by units of local government, in collaboration with public safety and public health agencies or public safety, public health and behavioral health collaborations. A community response program under this subsection shall identify gaps in community prevention, treatment, and recovery services for individuals who encounter the criminal justice system and shall establish treatment protocols to address identified shortcomings. The Attorney General, through the Office of Justice Programs, shall increase the amount provided as a grant under this section for a pilot program by no more than five percent for each of the two years following certification by the Attorney General of the submission of data by the rural area on the prescribing of schedules II, III, and IV controlled substances to a prescription drug monitoring program, or any other centralized database administered by an authorized State agency, which includes tracking the dispensation of such substances, and providing for interoperability and data sharing with each other such program (including an electronic health records system) in each other State, and with any interstate entity that shares information between such programs.

.

3.

Provision regarding certain funding level for rural communities

Section 3024 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10704) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1) by striking and at the end;

(2)

in paragraph (2)(C) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

provides that no less than 10 percent of grants issued pursuant to this part shall be awarded to rural areas.

.

4.

Definition

Section 3025 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10705) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(9)

The term rural area have the meanings given such terms in section 343(a)(13)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)(A)).

.