Model State Drug Laws

Under ONDCP’s 2018 reauthorization, the Director of National Drug Control Policy is authorized to enter into an agreement with a non-profit organization to “advise States on establishing laws and policies to address illicit drug issues; and revise such model State drug laws and draft supplementary model State drug laws to take into consideration changes in the drug use issues in the State involved.”  See, 21 USCS § 1703 (i) (Model Acts Program) (Oct. 24, 2018).  These statutory requirements comprise the core of the Model State Drug Laws Initiative, the purposes and requirements of the assistance provided under this notice of fund availability being more particularly described below.  

ONDCP expects to award one Federal grant under the Model State Drug Laws Initiative, for a 2- year period, beginning approximately July 1, 2019.  The successful non-Federal entity (NFE) receiving the award will conduct research and analysis, provide technical assistance, and draft model legislation on current and emerging illicit drug issues.  The successful NFE receiving the award must also maintain a web-based resource center, accessible to the public, on state illicit drug laws and related statutes, policies and programs for use in advising States and associated groups on establishing laws and policies based on Model State Drug Laws.

Goals, Objectives and What the Government is Supporting

The assistance provided under this award will support the NFE’s performance of the award and fulfillment of the following four performance areas:

• RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

• Conduct timely research and analysis on state illicit drug laws, policies, and programs pertaining to current and emerging illicit drug issues;

• Describe and document processes use for determining which model laws should be developed and articulate criteria for prioritization and selection; and

• Provide technical assistance in legislative and policy development in response to requests by interested members of the public, including persons representing legislative and other organizations.

• DRAFTING AND REVISING MODEL LEGISLATION

• Draft model state illicit drug legislation to address current and emerging illicit drug issues; and

• Revise current model laws and/or draft supplementary legislation as deemed necessary.

• TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

• Provide on request and, only subject to a reasonable administrative charge, individual off-site technical assistance and follow-up assistance on model state illicit drug laws, policies, and programs to state and local officials, drug professionals, behavioral health specialists, and other relevant parties.  If fees are charged, NFE must propose and provide rationale to the requestor for the fee structure.  Fees collected will not be considered as an offset to funds awarded under this funding opportunity.

• All technical assistance must be conducted by subject matter experts with documented experience drafting model illicit drug laws and extensive knowledge of state drug legislative, policy, and program priorities. 

• Documentation of all technical assistance must include, but is not limited to, the name and type of recipient, type of technical assistance, recipient feedback, and result of technical assistance.  Applicant should describe the mechanism and process for obtaining and documenting this information for program reports.

• MODEL STATE DRUG LAWS RESOURCE CENTER

• Maintain a repository and web-based resource center on model state illicit drug laws, policies and programs, studies, maps, tables, and other illicit drug information that is easily downloadable and readily accessible to the public;

• Publish relevant research and information online;

• Develop and disseminate relevant state statutes and case law online, to the maximum extent possible, subject to any underlying copyright or other rights appertaining to such materials; case law may or may not be in the public domain and the NFE may have to abstract cases relevant to this award; and

• Develop a schedule for timely distribution of state law reference documents and other materials to state and local officials, drug professionals, and other interested parties.

  Authorizing Statutes and Governing Regulations Applicable to this Funding Opportunity:  The authority for this opportunity is 21 USCS § 1703 (i) (Model Acts Program) (Oct. 24, 2018) and applicable appropriations statutes providing funding to ONDCP for this purpose.  The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards are applicable to the government and applicants, grant applications, and grant awards to non-Federal entities.  See, 2 CFR Part 200, et seq., as adopted in full by ONDCP via 2 CFR Part 3603, et seq.

  B.  Federal Award Information

ONDCP expects to award one Federal grant under the Model State Drug Laws Initiative, for a 2-year period, beginning approximately July 1, 2019. 

All applications and awards are subject to such additional requirements expressed in governing law.  See, 2 CFR Part 200, et seq.

ONDCP expects that it will make an award of financial assistance from this announcement in the form of a grant.  Substantial involvement of ONDCP in the performance of the grantee’s work is not anticipated.

Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.