Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security Act of 2015

Summary: (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on August 5, 2015.  Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security Act of 2015   (Sec. 3) Directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the Department of Homeland Security to: (1) conduct outreach to all U.S. airports at which the TSA performs, or oversees the implementation and performance of, security measures; and (2) give necessary technical assistance to verify that such airports have in place individualized working plans for responding to security incidents inside the airport perimeter, including active shooters, acts of terrorism, and incidents that target passenger-screening checkpoints. Requires the TSA to report to Congress on the outreach findings, including an analysis of the level of preparedness such airports have to respond to such incidents.  (Sec. 4) Requires the TSA to: (1) identify best practices that exist across airports for security incident planning, management, and training; and (2) establish a mechanism through which to share those best practices with other airport operators nationwide. (Sec. 5) Requires the TSA also to: (1) certify annually to specified congressional committees that all screening personnel have participated in practical training exercises for active shooter scenarios, and (2) analyze for those same committees how TSA can use cost savings achieved through efficiencies to increase over the next five fiscal years the funding available for checkpoint screening law enforcement support reimbursable agreements. (Sec. 7) Directs the TSA to: (1) conduct outreach to all passenger transportation agencies and providers with high-risk facilities to verify that they have in place plans for responding to active shooters, acts of terrorism, or other security-related incidents that target passengers; and (2) identify best practices for security incident planning, management, and training and establish a mechanism through which to share such practices with passenger transportation agencies nationwide. (Sec. 8) Declares that no additional appropriations are authorized to carry out this Act. Requires this Act to be carried out using amounts otherwise available. (Sec. 9) Requires the TSA to review the interoperable communications capabilities of law enforcement, fire, and medical personnel responsible for responding to security incidents at all U.S. airports at which the TSA performs, or oversees the implementation and performance of, security measures.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security 
Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
    In this Act:
        (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
    means the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation 
    Security) of the Department of Homeland Security.
        (2) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
    Transportation Security Administration.
SEC. 3. SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE AT AIRPORTS.
    (a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary shall, in consultation 
with other Federal agencies as appropriate, conduct outreach to all 
airports in the United States at which the Administration performs, or 
oversees the implementation and performance of, security measures, and 
provide technical assistance as necessary, to verify such airports have 
in place individualized working plans for responding to security 
incidents inside the perimeter of the airport, including active 
shooters, acts of terrorism, and incidents that target passenger-
screening checkpoints.
    (b) Types of Plans.--Such plans may include, but may not be limited 
to, the following:
        (1) A strategy for evacuating and providing care to persons 
    inside the perimeter of the airport, with consideration given to 
    the needs of persons with disabilities.
        (2) A plan for establishing a unified command, including 
    identification of staging areas for non-airport-specific law 
    enforcement and fire response.
        (3) A schedule for regular testing of communications equipment 
    used to receive emergency calls.
        (4) An evaluation of how emergency calls placed by persons 
    inside the perimeter of the airport will reach airport police in an 
    expeditious manner.
        (5) A practiced method and plan to communicate with travelers 
    and all other persons inside the perimeter of the airport.
        (6) To the extent practicable, a projected maximum timeframe 
    for law enforcement response to active shooters, acts of terrorism, 
    and incidents that target passenger security-screening checkpoints.
        (7) A schedule of joint exercises and training to be conducted 
    by the airport, the Administration, other stakeholders such as 
    airport and airline tenants, and any relevant law enforcement, 
    airport police, fire, and medical personnel.
        (8) A schedule for producing after-action joint exercise 
    reports to identify and determine how to improve security incident 
    response capabilities.
        (9) A strategy, where feasible, for providing airport law 
    enforcement with access to airport security video surveillance 
    systems at category X airports where those systems were purchased 
    and installed using Administration funds.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall report to the 
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the 
findings from its outreach to airports under subsection (a), including 
an analysis of the level of preparedness such airports have to respond 
to security incidents, including active shooters, acts of terrorism, 
and incidents that target passenger-screening checkpoints.
SEC. 4. DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ON BEST PRACTICES.
    The Assistant Secretary shall--
        (1) identify best practices that exist across airports for 
    security incident planning, management, and training; and
        (2) establish a mechanism through which to share such best 
    practices with other airport operators nationwide.
SEC. 5. CERTIFICATION.
    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall certify in writing 
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate that all screening personnel have participated in practical 
training exercises for active shooter scenarios.
SEC. 6. REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENTS.
    Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, the 
Assistant Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate an analysis of how the Administration 
can use cost savings achieved through efficiencies to increase over the 
next 5 fiscal years the funding available for checkpoint screening law 
enforcement support reimbursable agreements.
SEC. 7. SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE FOR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS.
    (a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary shall, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Transportation, and other relevant agencies, 
conduct outreach to all passenger transportation agencies and providers 
with high-risk facilities, as identified by the Assistant Secretary, to 
verify such agencies and providers have in place plans to respond to 
active shooters, acts of terrorism, or other security-related incidents 
that target passengers.
    (b) Types of Plans.--As applicable, such plans may include, but may 
not be limited to, the following:
        (1) A strategy for evacuating and providing care to 
    individuals, with consideration given to the needs of persons with 
    disabilities.
        (2) A plan for establishing a unified command.
        (3) A plan for frontline employees to receive active shooter 
    training.
        (4) A schedule for regular testing of communications equipment 
    used to receive emergency calls.
        (5) An evaluation of how emergency calls placed by individuals 
    using the transportation system will reach police in an expeditious 
    manner.
        (6) A practiced method and plan to communicate with individuals 
    using the transportation system.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall report to the 
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the 
findings from its outreach to the agencies and providers under 
subsection (a), including an analysis of the level of preparedness such 
transportation systems have to respond to security incidents.
    (d) Dissemination of Best Practices.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
identify best practices for security incident planning, management, and 
training and establish a mechanism through which to share such 
practices with passenger transportation agencies nationwide.
SEC. 8. NO ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act, and this Act shall be carried out using amounts otherwise 
available for such purpose.
SEC. 9. INTEROPERABILITY REVIEW.
    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall, in consultation with the 
Assistant Secretary of the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, 
conduct a review of the interoperable communications capabilities of 
the law enforcement, fire, and medical personnel responsible for 
responding to a security incident, including active shooter events, 
acts of terrorism, and incidents that target passenger-screening 
checkpoints, at all airports in the United States at which the 
Administration performs, or oversees the implementation and performance 
of, security measures.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the completion of the 
review, the Assistant Secretary shall report the findings of the review 
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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