State and High-Risk Urban Area Working Group Act

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to clarify membership of State planning committees or urban area working groups for the Homeland Security Grant Program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the State and High-Risk Urban Area Working Group Act 2. Administration and coordination of certain DHS grants Subsection (b) of section 2021 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 611 (b) Planning committees (1) In general Any State or high-risk urban area receiving a grant under section 2003 or 2004 shall establish a State planning committee or urban area working group to assist in preparation and revision of the State, regional, or local homeland security plan or the threat and hazard identification and risk assessment, as the case may be, and to assist in determining effective funding priorities for grants under such sections. (2) Composition (A) In general The State planning committees and urban area working groups referred to in paragraph (1) shall include at least one representative of significant stakeholders, including the following: (i) Local or tribal government officials. (ii) Emergency response providers, which shall include representatives of the fire service, law enforcement, emergency medical services, and emergency managers. (iii) Public health officials and other appropriate medical practitioners. (iv) Individuals representing educational institutions, including elementary schools, community colleges, and other institutions of higher education. (v) State and regional interoperable communications coordinators, as appropriate. (vi) State and major urban area fusion centers, as appropriate. (B) Geographic representation The members of the State planning committee or urban area working group, as the case may be, shall be a representative group of individuals from the counties, cities, towns, and Indian tribes within the State or high-risk urban area, including, as appropriate, representatives of rural, high-population, and high-threat jurisdictions. (3) Existing planning committees Nothing in this subsection may be construed to require that any State or high-risk urban area create a State planning committee or urban area working group, as the case may be, if that State or high-risk urban area has established and uses a multijurisdictional planning committee or commission that meets the requirements of this subsection. . April 13, 2016 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Summary: State and High-Risk Urban Area Working Group Act (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require any state or high-risk urban area receiving a grant under the State Homeland Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative to establish an urban area working group to assist in preparation and revision of the state, regional, or local homeland security plan or the threat and hazard identification and risk assessment. The bill adds to the stakeholders who shall have at least one representative on such a committee or working group: public health officials and other appropriate medical practitioners, individuals representing educational institutions, state and regional interoperable communications coordinators, and state and major urban area fusion centers. (A fusion center serves as a focal point within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners.)