PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015 

GERARDO HERNANDEZ AIRPORT SECURITY 

ACT OF 2015 


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129 STAT. 490 PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015 

Public Law 114–50 

114th Congress 

An Act 

To improve intergovernmental planning for and communication during security 

incidents at domestic airports, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

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. 

Consultation. 

Gerardo 

Hernandez 

Airport Security 

Act of 2015. 

49 USC 44903 

note. 

Sept. 24, 2015 

[H.R. 720] 


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PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015 129 STAT. 491 

(6) To the extent practicable, a projected maximum timeframe for law enforcement response to active shooters, acts 

of terrorism, and incidents that target passenger securityscreening 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 

Consultation. 

Deadline. 

Analysis. 

Deadline. 


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129 STAT. 492 PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015 

to respond to active shooters, acts of terrorism, or other securityrelated 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 

Deadline. 

Consultation. 


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PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015 129 STAT. 493 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 720: 

SENATE REPORTS: No. 114–92 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transportation). 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015): 

Feb. 10, considered and passed House. 

Aug. 5, considered and passed Senate, amended. 

Sept. 16, House concurred in Senate amendment. 

Æ 

of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation of the Senate. 

Approved September 24, 2015. 


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