Domestic Volunteer Service Act Amendments

(Measure passed Senate, amended)

Domestic Volunteer Service Act Amendments - Amends the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 by revising the career provisions of low-income VISTA volunteers, the assignment of volunteers to a State, and the payment of volunteers' end-of-service stipends.

States that of the funds appropriated for the operation of special service-learning programs, up to 15 percent of the first $4,600,000 appropriated may be used to encourage and enable students in secondary, vocational, and post-secondary schools to participate.

Authorizes the Director of VISTA to conduct or make grants or contracts for special volunteer programs in urban and rural areas and to provide a program of assistance to victims of domestic violence and the Helping Hand programs designed to stimulate and initiate improved methods of providing volunteer services and increased participation.

Allows the Director to provide financial support for short-term, part-time volunteers. Provides that such volunteers must be enrolled for 20 hours or more a week for 26 or more consecutive weeks. States that full-time volunteers enrolled for a full year of service shall be eligible to receive both stipends and allowances, not in excess of those paid to VISTA volunteers.

Requires the Director, in consultation with the Community Services Administration, to establish regulations and designate lead agencies to carry out the Urban Neighbors Programs.

Authorizes the Director, with the concurrence of the mayor or other chief elected authority of an urban area, to designate and provide backup assistance to a lead agency to support the Urban Neighborhood Volunteer Programs to carry out community revitalization and person-to-person activities in distressed urban neighborhoods. Sets forth the criteria for determining which agencies may qualify as "lead agencies". Requires that public announcement be made to provide individual notification of potentially eligible organizations and agencies of the application process.

Requires the Director and the lead agency to consult with the appropriate Community Action Agency where program activities will assist low-income and elderly persons served by such Community Action Agency.

Empowers the Director to develop and implement National Urban Neighborhood Priorities Programs, including a program designated "Helping Hand". Requires the Director to submit to the Congress a detailed program plan 60 days prior to implementing any activities or making any awards and a report on new activities 18 months after the submission of such program plan.

Decreases from 60 to 45 days the time which a State agency on aging may comment on proposed plans for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). States that service under RSVP shall not be considered employment.

Authorizes the Director to award a grant or contract for foster grandparent and senior companion projects to be carried out over an area in a State more comprehensive than one community or in a community served by a community action agency.

Provides that payments to volunteers under this Act shall not reduce or eliminate eligibility for assistance or services received under any governmental program except where such assistance equals or exceeds the applicable minimum wage. Provides that full-time volunteers under the National Volunteer Antipoverty Programs of such Act may not be denied, during their service, public assistance for which they were eligible before such service because of a refusal to register for, seek, or accept employment or training during the period of their enrollment.

Makes volunteers for full-time service or part-time service of not less than 20 hours per week for 26 consecutive weeks employees of the United States for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code, the Social Security Act, the Federal Tort Claims, and Title five of the United States Code. Provides for computing compensation benefits for disability or death.

Directs the Attorney General to defend any civil action or proceeding brought in any court against any volunteer for damages of personal injury, including death, allegedly arising from malpractice or negligence. States any such action shall be deemed a tort action brought against the United States upon certification that the defendant was acting in the scope of such person's volunteer assignment at the time of the incident.

Makes it the duty of the Director to apply the nondiscrimination policies and authorities of the Civil Rights Act of 1974, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 to the enrollment for service as volunteer under this Act and the Peace Corps Act.

Authorizes appropriations for the Action Agency domestic programs and administration for fiscal years 1979, 1980, and 1981.

Requires the Director to take such action as may be necessary to reduce the paperwork required under this Act.

Requires the Director to submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress not later than February 1, 1979.