DHS Social Media Improvement Act of 2015

Summary: (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on September 21, 2015.  DHS Social Media Improvement Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a social media working group (the Group) to identify, and provide guidance and best practices to the emergency preparedness and response community on, the use of social media technologies before, during, and after a natural disaster or an act of terrorism or other man-made disaster. Requires the Group to submit an annual report that includes:   a review and analysis of social media technologies used to support preparedness and response activities;  a review of best practices and lessons learned;  recommendations to improve DHS's use of social media technologies for emergency management purposes, recommendations to improve public awareness of the type of information disseminated through such technologies, and recommendations on how to access such information during a disaster; a review of available training for government officials on the use of social media technologies in response to a disaster; and  a review of coordination efforts with the private sector to discuss and resolve legal, operational, technical, privacy, and security concerns.   Terminates the Group five years after the enactment of this Act unless the chairperson renews it for a successive five-year period by submitting a certification that the continued existence of the Group is necessary. Provides for successive five-year renewal periods.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``DHS Social Media Improvement Act of 
2015''.
SEC. 2. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP.
    (a) In General.--Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``SEC. 318. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP.
    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish within the 
Department a social media working group (in this section referred to as 
the `Group').
    ``(b) Purpose.--In order to enhance the dissemination of 
information through social media technologies between the Department 
and appropriate stakeholders and to improve use of social media 
technologies in support of preparedness, response, and recovery, the 
Group shall identify, and provide guidance and best practices to the 
emergency preparedness and response community on, the use of social 
media technologies before, during, and after a natural disaster or an 
act of terrorism or other man-made disaster.
    ``(c) Membership.--
        ``(1) In general.--Membership of the Group shall be composed of 
    a cross section of subject matter experts from Federal, State, 
    local, tribal, territorial, and nongovernmental organization 
    practitioners, including representatives from the following 
    entities:
            ``(A) The Office of Public Affairs of the Department.
            ``(B) The Office of the Chief Information Officer of the 
        Department.
            ``(C) The Privacy Office of the Department.
            ``(D) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
            ``(E) The Office of Disability Integration and Coordination 
        of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
            ``(F) The American Red Cross.
            ``(G) The Forest Service.
            ``(H) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
            ``(I) The United States Geological Survey.
            ``(J) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
        ``(2) Chairperson; co-chairperson.--
            ``(A) Chairperson.--The Secretary, or a designee of the 
        Secretary, shall serve as the chairperson of the Group.
            ``(B) Co-chairperson.--The chairperson shall designate, on 
        a rotating basis, a representative from a State or local 
        government who is a member of the Group to serve as the co-
        chairperson of the Group.
        ``(3) Additional members.--The chairperson shall appoint, on a 
    rotating basis, qualified individuals to the Group. The total 
    number of such additional members shall--
            ``(A) be equal to or greater than the total number of 
        regular members under paragraph (1); and
            ``(B) include--
                ``(i) not fewer than 3 representatives from the private 
            sector; and
                ``(ii) representatives from--

                    ``(I) State, local, tribal, and territorial 
                entities, including from--

                        ``(aa) law enforcement;
                        ``(bb) fire services;
                        ``(cc) emergency management; and
                        ``(dd) public health entities;

                    ``(II) universities and academia; and
                    ``(III) nonprofit disaster relief organizations.

        ``(4) Term limits.--The chairperson shall establish term limits 
    for individuals appointed to the Group under paragraph (3).
    ``(d) Consultation With Non-members.--To the extent practicable, 
the Group shall work with entities in the public and private sectors to 
carry out subsection (b).
    ``(e) Meetings.--
        ``(1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
    of enactment of this section, the Group shall hold its initial 
    meeting.
        ``(2) Subsequent meetings.--After the initial meeting under 
    paragraph (1), the Group shall meet--
            ``(A) at the call of the chairperson; and
            ``(B) not less frequently than twice each year.
        ``(3) Virtual meetings.--Each meeting of the Group may be held 
    virtually.
    ``(f) Reports.--During each year in which the Group meets, the 
Group shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
that includes the following:
        ``(1) A review and analysis of current and emerging social 
    media technologies being used to support preparedness and response 
    activities related to natural disasters and acts of terrorism and 
    other man-made disasters.
        ``(2) A review of best practices and lessons learned on the use 
    of social media technologies during the response to natural 
    disasters and acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters that 
    occurred during the period covered by the report at issue.
        ``(3) Recommendations to improve the Department's use of social 
    media technologies for emergency management purposes.
        ``(4) Recommendations to improve public awareness of the type 
    of information disseminated through social media technologies, and 
    how to access such information, during a natural disaster or an act 
    of terrorism or other man-made disaster.
        ``(5) A review of available training for Federal, State, local, 
    tribal, and territorial officials on the use of social media 
    technologies in response to a natural disaster or an act of 
    terrorism or other man-made disaster.
        ``(6) A review of coordination efforts with the private sector 
    to discuss and resolve legal, operational, technical, privacy, and 
    security concerns.
    ``(g) Duration of Group.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Group shall terminate on the date that 
    is 5 years after the date of enactment of this section unless the 
    chairperson renews the Group for a successive 5-year period, prior 
    to the date on which the Group would otherwise terminate, by 
    submitting to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
    Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
    House of Representatives a certification that the continued 
    existence of the Group is necessary to fulfill the purpose 
    described in subsection (b).
        ``(2) Continued renewal.--The chairperson may continue to renew 
    the Group for successive 5-year periods by submitting a 
    certification in accordance with paragraph (1) prior to the date on 
    which the Group would otherwise terminate.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 317 the following:

``Sec. 318. Social media working group.''.


                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.