II 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2076 

To improve security at State and local courthouses. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 7, 2012 

Mr. FRANKEN (for himself, Mr. BOOZMAN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. GRAHAM, 

and Mr. CORNYN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

MARCH 19, 2012 

Committee discharged; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To improve security at State and local courthouses. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Local Courthouse Safe5 ty Act of 2012’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROVIDING LOCAL COURTHOUSES WITH SECURITY 

7 TRAINING AND ASSESSMENTS. 

8 The Attorney General, as part of the Preventing Vio9 lence Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer ReVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:11 Mar 19, 2012 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2076.RCS S2076

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1 silience and Survivability Initiative (VALOR) of the De2 partment of Justice, may provide safety training and tech3 nical assistance to local law enforcement agencies. 

4 SEC. 3. IMPROVING FLEXIBILITY OF STATES TO USE 

5 GRANTS TO PROTECT COURTHOUSES. 

6 (a) STATE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PRO7 GRAM.—Section 2008(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 

8 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609(a)) is amended— 

9 (1) in paragraph (12), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

10 end; 

11 (2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as para12 graph (14); and 

13 (3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the fol14 lowing: 

15 ‘‘(13) improving security at courthouses of a 

16 State or local government; and’’. 

17 (b) BYRNE GRANTS.—Section 501(a)(1)(B) of title 

18 I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 

19 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3751(a)(1)(B)) is amended by inserting 

20 ‘‘, including programs to improve security at courthouses’’ 

21 before the period. 


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1 SEC. 4. IMPROVING ACCESS OF LOCAL COURTHOUSES TO 

2 EXCESS FEDERAL SECURITY EQUIPMENT. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 

4 40, United States Code, is amended by adding after sec5 tion 529 the following: 

6 ‘‘§ 530. Excess security equipment 

7 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

8 ‘‘(1) the term ‘excess security equipment’ 

9 means excess property that is used to detect weap10 ons, including metal detectors, wands, and baggage 

11 screening devices; and 

12 ‘‘(2) the term ‘qualifying State or local court13 house’ means a courthouse of a State or local gov14 ernment that has less security equipment than the 

15 security needs of the courthouse require. 

16 ‘‘(b) DISPOSAL OF EXCESS SECURITY EQUIPMENT.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 

18 provision of this subchapter, the Administrator of 

19 General Services shall ensure that a State or local 

20 government has an opportunity to request to receive 

21 excess security equipment for use at a qualifying 

22 State or local courthouse before the excess security 

23 equipment is made available to any other individual 

24 or entity under this subchapter. 

25 ‘‘(2) DISPOSAL.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subpara2 graph (B), upon request by a State or local 

3 government for excess security equipment for 

4 use at a qualifying State or local courthouse, 

5 the excess security equipment shall be made 

6 available to the State or local government with7 out cost, except for any costs of care and han8 dling. 

9 ‘‘(B) MULTIPLE REQUESTS.—If more than 

10 1 State or local government requests a par11 ticular piece of excess security equipment, the 

12 excess security equipment shall be distributed 

13 based on need, as determined by the Adminis14 trator of General Services, with priority given 

15 to a qualifying State or local courthouse that 

16 has no security equipment.’’. 

17 (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 

18 The table of sections for chapter 5 of title 40, United 

19 States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat20 ing to section 529 the following: 

‘‘530. Excess security equipment.’’. 

Æ 


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