Helping Families Fly Act of 2019

To require the Transportation Security Administration to implement training for frontline Administration personnel regarding the screening of pregnant women and families with young children at passenger screening checkpoints, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Helping Families Fly Act of 2019 2. Training required (a) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall develop and implement training for frontline Administration personnel regarding the screening of pregnant women and families with young children at passenger screening checkpoints. Such training shall include the following: (1) Information relating to concerns of pregnant women relating to the use of Advanced Imaging Technology and appropriate opt-out procedures and alternative screening procedures. (2) Guidelines to assist pregnant women and families traveling with young children effectively and efficiently complete the screening process in a manner that is respectful and improves the overall functioning of the screening checkpoint. (3) Communication and procedural guidelines for frontline Administration personnel to assist with passenger divestiture for pregnant women and families traveling with young children to improve the effectiveness and overall passenger experience at the screening checkpoint. (b) Communications strategy In conjunction with the implementation of the training required under subsection (a), the Administrator shall develop and implement a communications strategy for pregnant women and families traveling with young children to inform such women and families of the procedures and guidelines described in such subsection, including providing information to relevant passengers through social media, the Administration’s public website, the Administration’s customer service call center, and partnerships with aviation stakeholders, including air carriers and airport operators. (c) Passenger support specialists In carrying out subsections (a) and (b), the Administrator shall, to the extent possible, make available passenger support specialists, upon request, to pregnant women and families traveling with young children to assist with screening checkpoint information, concerns, and procedures. (d) TSA family lanes feasibility assessment Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall conduct a feasibility assessment to determine whether screening processes and the screening experience may be improved for travelers by developing optional, dedicated screening lanes for families traveling with young children at airports where the checkpoint configuration would allow and where the overall functioning of the checkpoint would not be inhibited in terms of passenger throughput or security effectiveness. (e) Briefing to Congress Not later than 30 days after the implementation of the training required under subsection (a), the Administrator shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on progress regarding the implementation of this Act and improvements made to the screening process for pregnant women and families traveling with young children. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Administration The term Administration (2) Administrator The term Administrator (3) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees August 30, 2019 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Summary: Helping Families Fly Act of 2019 This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to implement training for its frontline personnel regarding the screening of pregnant women and families with young children at passenger screening checkpoints, including (1) information related the use of advanced imaging technology on pregnant women, as well as opt-out and alternative screening procedures; and (2) guidelines and procedures for efficiently and respectfully screening pregnant women and families with young children. The TSA must also create a strategy for communicating procedures and guidelines to pregnant women and families with young children, including through social media, and its customer service call center; make passenger support specialists available to assist such women and families with screening checkpoint information; and assess the feasibility of developing dedicated screening lanes for such families.