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, and Ms. KLOBUCHAR) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

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 Re10 silience and Survivability Initiative (VALOR) of the DeVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:53 Feb 08, 2012 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2076.IS S2076

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1 partment of Justice, may provide safety training and tech2 nical assistance to local law enforcement agencies. 

3 SEC. 3. IMPROVING FLEXIBILITY OF STATES TO USE 

4 GRANTS TO PROTECT COURTHOUSES. 

5 (a) STATE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PRO6 GRAM.—Section 2008(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 

7 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609(a)) is amended— 

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

9 end; 

10 (2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as para11 graph (14); and 

12 (3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the fol13 lowing: 

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

15 State or local government; and’’. 

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

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

18 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3751(a)(1)(B)) is amended by inserting 

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

20 before the period. 

21 SEC. 4. IMPROVING ACCESS OF LOCAL COURTHOUSES TO 

22 EXCESS FEDERAL SECURITY EQUIPMENT. 

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

24 40, United States Code, is amended by adding after sec25 tion 529 the following: 


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1 ‘‘§ 530. Excess security equipment 

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

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

4 means excess property that is used to detect weap5 ons, including metal detectors, wands, and baggage 

6 screening devices; and 

7 ‘‘(2) the term ‘qualifying State or local court8 house’ means a courthouse of a State or local gov9 ernment that has less security equipment than the 

10 security needs of the courthouse require. 

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

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

13 provision of this subchapter, the Administrator of 

14 General Services shall ensure that a State or local 

15 government has an opportunity to request to receive 

16 excess security equipment for use at a qualifying 

17 State or local courthouse before the excess security 

18 equipment is made available to any other individual 

19 or entity under this subchapter. 

20 ‘‘(2) DISPOSAL.— 

21 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subpara22 graph (B), upon request by a State or local 

23 government for excess security equipment for 

24 use at a qualifying State or local courthouse, 

25 the excess security equipment shall be made 

26 available to the State or local government withVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:53 Feb 08, 2012 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2076.IS S2076

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1 out cost, except for any costs of care and han2 dling. 

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

4 1 State or local government requests a par5 ticular piece of excess security equipment, the 

6 excess security equipment shall be distributed 

7 based on need, as determined by the Adminis8 trator of General Services, with priority given 

9 to a qualifying State or local courthouse that 

10 has no security equipment.’’. 

11 (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 

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

13 States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat14 ing to section 529 the following: 

‘‘530. Excess security equipment.’’. 

Æ 


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