Sen. Alex Padilla

Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2021 or the PAST Act of 2021 This bill addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, including by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violations.

Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act This bill modifies the requirements for calculating taxable income to exclude from gross income payments under the federal veterinary medicine loan repayment program or any state loan repayment or forgiveness program that is intended to provide for increased access to veterinary services in such state.

Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 20 21 This bill prohibits commercial conversion therapy, which is a practice or treatment designed to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity or otherwise change behaviors, thoughts, or expressions related to gender or sexual attraction. This prohibition does not apply to treatment that assists an individual undergoing a gender transition or facilitates identity exploration and development.

Women and Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2021 This bill requires the National Science Foundation to award competitive grants to enable eligible entities to carry out the activities specified below in order to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). An eligible entity that receives a grant shall use grant funds to carry out one or more of the following activities designed to increase the participation of women or minorities underrepresented in science and engineering, or both: online workshops, mentoring programs that partner STEM professionals with students, internships for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM fields, outreach programs providing elementary and secondary school students with opportunities to increase their exposure to STEM fields, and programs to increase the recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty.

STEM Opportunities Act This bill provides for guidance, data collection, and grants for groups historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at institutions of higher education (IHEs) and at federal science agencies. Specifically, the bill requires the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to provide specified guidance related to such groups to federal science agencies and IHEs. Each federal science agency must collect comprehensive demographic data on recipients of merit-reviewed research and development grants given to IHEs and federal laboratories supported by that agency. Each agency must also implement recommendations from the OSTP report titled Reducing the Impact of Bias in the STEM Workforce . In addition, each agency must carry out a pilot program and implement evidence-based policies and practices to minimize the effect of implicit bias in the grant review process. The National Science Foundation (NSF) must carry out and publish a survey to collect data on the demographics of STEM faculty, by broad fields of STEM, at different types of IHEs. The NSF must also carry out a variety of grant programs, including grants for increasing (1) the recruitment, retention, and advancement of individuals from underrepresented minority groups in STEM careers; (2) the recruitment and retention of minority students who are underrepresented in STEM fields; and (3) student participation in computer science and computational thinking education programs at tribal colleges and universities.

Preparing and Retaining Education Professionals Act of 2021 or the PREP Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes and revises certain grant programs to address shortages of teachers and school leaders (e.g., principals) in elementary and secondary schools, including shortages in rural areas and related to specific positions (e.g., special education and English language instruction). First, the bill makes permanent and otherwise revises the Teacher Quality Partnership program (which provides grants to improve the quality of teachers and enhance professional development activities). In particular, the bill revises the program to (1) expand the purpose of grants to include the recruitment of well-prepared individuals, including individuals from underrepresented populations, into the teacher and school leadership force; (2) include training and professional development opportunities for school leaders; and (3) establish a grant program to address workforce shortages or increase workforce diversity. Next, the bill makes permanent and otherwise revises the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program (which provides grants to establish teacher preparation programs at minority-serving institutions). Further, the bill allows grants to be used for school leader preparation programs. Additionally, the bill aligns activities within teacher preparation programs at predominantly Black institutions, Native American-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions with certain changes made to the Teacher Quality Partnership program. The bill permanently reauthorizes the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement program (which provides grants to improve science and engineering education at predominantly minority institutions).

LGBTQ Data Inclusion Act This bill requires federal agencies that collect information through a survey that includes demographic data (where subjects self-report information or a proxy provides information about the subject or responds for all persons in a household) to review existing data sets to determine in which data sets information about sexual orientation and gender identity is not included, and to assess needed changes in survey methods related to asking questions on sexual orientation and gender identity. Agencies that publish reports relying on survey demographic data must include information on sexual orientation and gender identity.

College Equity Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to establish grant programs for reviewing and addressing inequities in student recruitment, admissions, and support at institutions of higher education (IHEs). Specifically, ED must award grants to IHEs to conduct equity audits that review IHEs' policies, practices, and resources (e.g., admission policies, financial aid, and faculty diversity) to identify areas that might produce gaps in access and outcomes by certain factors. These factors include, among others, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, and age. In addition, ED must award grants to IHEs for executing improvement plans that address inequities. Finally, higher education accrediting agencies and associations must assess the findings from the audits and assist IHEs in addressing inequities.

Lead-Free Drinking Water for All Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises the Environmental Protection Agency's grant program for reducing lead in drinking water, including by establishing a deadline for grant recipients to fully replace lead service lines.

Break the Cycle of Violence Act This bill establishes federal grant programs and related entities to support violence intervention initiatives. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants for coordinated community violence intervention initiatives in communities disproportionately impacted by homicides and community violence. HHS must also establish several related entities, including an Office of Community Violence Intervention to administer programs and activities related to violence intervention; the Community Violence Intervention Advisory Committee to advise and assist the office and HHS; and the National Community Violence Response Center to provide training and technical assistance, coordinate research, and develop data collection policies. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Labor to award grants for job training and workforce programs in communities disproportionately affected by gun violence to connect youth ages 16 to 24 to in-demand occupations.