bomber is immediately available to all relevant 
jurisdictions. 
(C) NOTIFICATION
TO
JURISDICTIONS.— 
The Attorney General shall provide notification 
to a jurisdiction in which the offender resides or 
will reside, is an employee, or is a student. Im-
mediately after the Attorney General receives 
information (or updated information) under this 
section from a jurisdiction for inclusion in the 
National Registry, with respect to a criminal 
arsonist or criminal bomber, the Attorney Gen-
eral shall ensure that such information (or up-
dated information), other than any information 
exempted from disclosure by the Attorney Gen-
eral, is provided to each jurisdiction in which 
the offender resides or will reside, is an em-
ployee, or is a student. 
(2) NATIONAL ARSONIST AND BOMBER INTER-
NET SITE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General 
shall establish and maintain a national arsonist 
and bomber Internet site. The Internet site 
shall include relevant information for each 
criminal arsonist or criminal bomber. The 
Internet site shall allow law enforcement offi-
cers and fire safety officers to obtain relevant 
information for each criminal arsonist or crimi-
nal bomber by a single query for any given zip 
code or geographical radius set by the user in 
a form and with such limitations as may be es-
tablished by the Attorney General and shall 
have such other field search capabilities as the 
Attorney General may provide. 
(B) USE
FOR
LAW
ENFORCEMENT
PUR-
POSES
ONLY.—The Internet site established 
under subparagraph (1) shall include a warning 
that information on the site is to be used for 
law enforcement purposes only and may only be 
disclosed in connection with such purposes. The 
warning shall note that any action in violation 
of the previous sentence may result in a civil or 
criminal penalty. 
(C) EXEMPTIONS
FROM
DISCLOSURE.— 
The Attorney General may exempt from disclo-
sure on the Internet site established under this 
paragraph such information as the Attorney 
General deems appropriate. 
(3) PROHIBITION
ON
ACCESS
BY
THE
PUB-
LIC.—Information about a criminal arsonist or
criminal bomber shall not be made available under 
paragraph (1) or (2) to the public. 
(4) CORRECTION
OF
ERRORS.—The Attorney 
General shall establish guidelines for a process to 
seek correction of information included in the na-
tional database under paragraph (1) or the Internet 
site under paragraph (2) in the case that an indi-
vidual contends such information is erroneous. Such 
guidelines shall provide for an adequate period for 
the individual to seek such correction of information. 
(5) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In 
addition to any amounts otherwise authorized to be 
appropriated, there are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Attorney General, to carry out this 
subsection, such sums as may be necessary for each 
of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014. 
(b) REGISTRY
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
JURISDIC-
TIONS.— 
(1) JURISDICTION
TO
PARTICIPATE
IN
NA-
TIONAL REGISTRY.—Each jurisdiction shall partici-
pate in the National Registry by providing informa-
tion, with respect to criminal arsonists and criminal 
bombers, to the National Registry in accordance 
with this section. Such information, with respect to
a criminal arsonist or criminal bomber, shall be pro-
vided by a jurisdiction— 
(A) to the Attorney General for inclusion 
in the National Registry immediately after the 
criminal arsonist or criminal bomber provides 
information (or provides updated information), 
other than information exempted from disclo-
sure by the Attorney General, to the jurisdic-
tion under this section; and 
(B) in an electronic format as specified by 
the Attorney General. 
(2) GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS.—The At-
torney General shall issue guidelines and regulations 
to interpret and implement this section. 
(c) 
REGISTRY
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
CRIMINAL 
ARSONISTS AND BOMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A criminal arsonist or crimi-
nal bomber shall provide information described in 
subsection (d)(1) to (and shall keep such informa-
tion current with) each jurisdiction where the crimi-
nal arsonist or criminal bomber resides, where the 
criminal arsonist or criminal bomber is an employee, 
and where the criminal arsonist or criminal bomber 
is a student. For the initial provision of information 
only, a criminal arsonist or criminal bomber shall
also provide such information to the jurisdiction in 
which the arsonist or bomber was convicted if such 
jurisdiction is different from the jurisdiction of resi-
dence. 
(2) INITIAL REGISTRATION.—The criminal ar-
sonist or criminal bomber shall initially provide in-
formation described in subsection (d)(1)— 
(A) before completing a sentence of impris-
onment with respect to the offense giving rise 
to the registration requirement; or 
(B) not later than 5 business days after 
being sentenced for that offense, if the criminal 
arsonist or criminal bomber is not sentenced to 
a term of imprisonment. 
(3) KEEPING THE REGISTRATION CURRENT.—A 
criminal arsonist or criminal bomber shall, not later 
than 10 business days after each change of name, 
residence, employment, or student status, appear in 
person in at least one jurisdiction involved pursuant 
to paragraph (1) and inform that jurisdiction of all 
changes in the information required for that crimi-
nal arsonist or criminal bomber for purposes of in-
clusion in the National Registry. That jurisdiction 
shall immediately provide the revised information to 
the National Registry.
(4) APPLICATION OF REGISTRATION REQUIRE-
MENTS.— 
(A) OFFENDER
REGISTRATION
REQUIRE-
MENTS APPLICABLE ONLY PROSPECTIVELY AND 
WITH
NOTIFICATION.—A criminal arsonist or 
criminal bomber is required to provide informa-
tion to a jurisdiction, and to keep such informa-
tion current, under this section for inclusion in 
the National Registry only to the extent— 
(i) that such criminal arsonist or 
criminal bomber— 
(I) was convicted of a criminal 
offense involving arson or bombing on 
or after the date of the enactment of 
this Act; and 
(II) was notified of such require-
ments in accordance with subsection 
(g); and 
(ii) the jurisdiction involved partici-
pates in the National Registry. 
(B) JURISDICTION
OF
CONVICTION
RE-
QUIRED TO SUBMIT INFORMATION ON OFFEND-
ERS CONVICTED BEFORE DATE OF ENACTMENT 
AND ON THOSE NOT NOTIFIED.—
(i) GUIDELINES.—The Attorney Gen-
eral shall establish guidelines, in accord-
ance with the provisions of this subpara-
graph, under which each jurisdiction is re-
quired to provide to the National Registry 
information described in subsection (d)(2) 
with respect to— 
(I) each criminal arsonist or 
criminal bomber who was convicted in 
such jurisdiction of a criminal offense 
involving arson or bombing during the 
10-year period ending on the date of 
the enactment of this Act; and 
(II) each criminal arsonist or 
criminal bomber who was convicted on 
or after the date of the enactment of 
the Act in such jurisdiction of such an 
offense and who has not been notified, 
in accordance with subsection (g), of 
the requirements to provide informa-
tion, and to keep such information 
current, under this section. 
(ii) NOTICE
REQUIRED.—Under the 
guidelines established under clause (i), a 
jurisdiction shall be required to provide no-
tice to each criminal arsonist or criminal 
bomber included in the National Registry 
pursuant to this subparagraph of such in-
clusion. 
(5) ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN WHEN CRIMINAL 
ARSONIST
OR
CRIMINAL
BOMBER
FAILS
TO
COM-
PLY.—An appropriate official of each jurisdiction 
shall notify the Attorney General and appropriate 
law enforcement agencies of any failure by a crimi-
nal arsonist or criminal bomber to provide informa-
tion, and keep such information current, under this 
section. The Attorney General shall revise the Na-
tional Registry to reflect the nature of such failure. 
The appropriate official, the Attorney General, and 
each law enforcement agency involved shall take any 
appropriate action to ensure compliance. 
(6) AUTHORITY TO EXEMPT CERTAIN PERSONS 
FROM
REGISTRY
REQUIREMENTS.—A jurisdiction 
shall have the authority to exempt a criminal arson-
ist or criminal bomber who has been convicted of the 
offense of arson or bombing in violation of the laws 
of the jurisdiction in which the offense was com-
mitted or the United States for the first time from 
the requirements to provide information, and keep 
such information current, under this section in ex-
change for the person’s substantial assistance in the 
investigation or prosecution of another person who 
has committed an offense. The Attorney General 
shall ensure that any regulations promulgated under 
this section include guidelines that reflect the gen-
eral appropriateness of exempting the person from 
the requirements of providing information, and keep-
ing such information current, under this section. 
(d) INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR INCLUSION IN NA-
TIONAL REGISTRY.— 
(1) PROSPECTIVE CONVICTIONS WITH NOTIFI-
CATION.— 
(A) PROVIDED
BY
ARSONIST
OR
BOMB-
ER.—A criminal arsonist or criminal bomber 
convicted of a criminal offense involving arson 
or bombing on or after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act shall provide the following in-
formation to the appropriate official of the ju-
risdiction involved for inclusion in the National 
Registry: 
(i) The name of the person (including 
any alias used by the person). 
(ii) The Social Security number of the 
person.
(iii) The address of each residence at 
which the person resides or will reside. 
(iv) The name and address of any 
place where the person is an employee or 
will be an employee. 
(v) The name and address of any 
place where the person is a student or will 
be a student. 
(vi) The license plate number and a 
description of any vehicle owned or oper-
ated by the person. 
(vii) Any other information required 
by the Attorney General. 
(B) PROVIDED BY THE JURISDICTION.— 
The jurisdiction to which a criminal arsonist or 
criminal bomber described in subparagraph (A) 
provides information shall ensure that the fol-
lowing information, with respect to such arson-
ist or bomber, is provided to the National Reg-
istry: 
(i) The information described in sub-
paragraph (A), as provided by the arsonist 
or bomber. 
(ii) A physical description of the per-
son.
(B) The Social Security number of the per-
son. 
(C) The most recent known address of the 
residence at which the person has resided. 
(D) A physical description of the person. 
(E) The text of the provision of law defin-
ing the criminal offense for which the person is 
convicted. 
(F) A set of fingerprints and palm prints 
of the person, if available to the jurisdiction. 
(G) A photocopy of a valid driver’s license 
or identification card issued to the person by a 
jurisdiction, if available. 
(H) Any other information required by the 
Attorney General. 
(e) DURATION
OF REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT; 
EXPUNGING REGISTRIES OF INFORMATION FOR CERTAIN 
JUVENILE CRIMINALS.— 
(1) DURATION
OF
REGISTRATION
REQUIRE-
MENT.—A criminal arsonist or criminal bomber shall 
keep the registration information provided under 
subsection (d)(1)(A) current for the full registration 
period (excluding any time the person is in custody). 
For purposes of this subsection, the full registration 
period—
(A) shall commence on the later of the 
date on which the person is convicted of an of-
fense of arson or bombing in violation of the 
laws of the jurisdiction in which the offense was 
committed or the United States, the date on 
which the person is released from prison for 
such conviction, or the date on which the per-
son is placed on parole, supervised release, or 
probation for such conviction; and 
(B) shall be— 
(i) five years for a person who has 
been convicted of such an offense for the 
first time; 
(ii) ten years for a person who has 
been convicted of such an offense for the 
second time; and 
(iii) for the life of the person for a 
person who has been convicted of such an 
offense more than twice. 
(2) EXPUNGING REGISTRIES OF INFORMATION 
FOR CERTAIN JUVENILE CRIMINALS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a crimi-
nal arsonist or criminal bomber described in 
subparagraph (B), the Attorney General shall 
expunge the National Registry of information
related to such criminal arsonist or criminal 
bomber as of the date that is 5 years after the 
last day of the applicable full registration period 
under paragraph (1). 
(B) CRIMINAL
ARSONIST
OR
CRIMINAL 
BOMBER
DESCRIBED.—For purposes of sub-
paragraph (A), a criminal arsonist or criminal 
bomber described in this subparagraph is a 
criminal arsonist or criminal bomber who— 
(i) was a juvenile tried as an adult for 
the offense giving rise to the duty to reg-
ister under this section; and 
(ii) was not convicted of any other 
criminal felony during the period beginning 
on the first day of the applicable full reg-
istration period under paragraph (1) and 
ending on the last day of the 5-year period 
described in subparagraph (A). 
(C) 
APPLICATION
TO
OTHER
DATA-
BASES.—The Attorney General shall establish a 
process to ensure that each entity that receives 
information under subsection (i) with respect to 
a criminal arsonist or criminal bomber de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) shall expunge the 
applicable database of such information as of
the date that is 5 years after the last day of the 
applicable full registration period under para-
graph (1). 
(f) ANNUAL VERIFICATION.—Not less than once in 
each calendar year during the full registration period, a 
criminal arsonist or criminal bomber required to provide 
information to a jurisdiction under this section shall— 
(1) appear in person at not less than one such 
jurisdiction; 
(2) allow such jurisdiction to take a current 
photograph of the person; and 
(3) while present at such jurisdiction, verify the 
information contained in the National Registry for 
such person. 
(g) DUTY TO NOTIFY CRIMINAL ARSONISTS AND 
CRIMINAL BOMBERS OF REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS 
AND TO REGISTER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An appropriate official shall, 
shortly before release of a criminal arsonist or crimi-
nal bomber from custody, or, if the person is not in 
custody, immediately after the sentencing of the per-
son for the offense giving rise to the duty to register 
under this section— 
(A) inform the person of the duties of the 
person under this section and explain those du-
ties in a manner that the person can under-
stand in light of the person’s native language, 
mental capability, and age; 
(B) ensure that the person understands 
the registration requirement, and if so, require 
the person to read and sign a form stating that 
the duty to register has been explained and that 
the person understands the registration require-
ment; 
(C) if the person is unable to understand 
the registration requirements, the official shall 
sign a form stating that the person is unable to 
understand the registration requirements; and 
(D) ensure that the person is registered. 
(2) NOTIFICATION
OF
CRIMINAL
ARSONISTS 
AND
CRIMINAL
BOMBERS
WHO
CANNOT
COMPLY 
WITH PARAGRAPH (1).—The Attorney General shall 
prescribe rules to ensure the notification and reg-
istration of criminal arsonists and criminal bombers 
in accordance with paragraph (1) who cannot be no-
tified and registered at the time set forth in para-
graph (1). 
(h) DEVELOPMENT AND AVAILABILITY OF REGISTRY 
MANAGEMENT AND WEBSITE SOFTWARE.—
(1) DUTY
TO
DEVELOP
AND
SUPPORT.—The 
Attorney General shall develop and support software 
to enable jurisdictions to participate in the National 
Registry and the national Internet site established 
under subsection (a)(2). 
(2) CRITERIA.—The software described in para-
graph (1) should facilitate— 
(A) immediate exchange of information 
among jurisdictions through the national Inter-
net site established under subsection (a)(2); 
(B) access over the Internet by authorized 
persons to appropriate information, including 
the number of registered criminal arsonists or 
criminal bombers in each jurisdiction on a cur-
rent basis; and 
(C) full compliance with the requirements 
of this section. 
(3) DEADLINE.—The Attorney General shall 
make the first complete edition of this software 
available to jurisdictions not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(i) PERIOD
FOR IMPLEMENTATION
BY JURISDIC-
TIONS.— 
(1) DEADLINE.—To be in compliance with this 
section, a jurisdiction shall participate in the Na-
tional Registry in accordance with this section before 
the later of— 
(A) three years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act; or 
(B) one year after the date on which the 
software described in subsection (h) is made 
available to such jurisdiction. 
(2) EXTENSIONS.—The Attorney General may 
authorize not more than two one-year extensions of 
the deadline under paragraph (1). 
(3) FAILURE OF JURISDICTION TO COMPLY.— 
For any fiscal year after the expiration of the dead-
line specified in paragraph (1) (and any extension 
under paragraph (2)), a jurisdiction that fails, as de-
termined by the Attorney General, to substantially 
implement this section shall, at the discretion of the 
Attorney General, be subject to not more than a 10 
percent reduction of the funds that would otherwise 
be allocated for that fiscal year to the jurisdiction 
under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus 
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 
U.S.C. 3750 et seq.), whether characterized as the 
Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law En-
forcement Assistance Programs, the Local Govern-
ment Law Enforcement Block Grants Program, the
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant 
Program, or otherwise. 
(j) ELECTION BY INDIAN TRIBES.— 
(1) ELECTION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A federally recognized 
Indian tribe may, by resolution or other enact-
ment of the tribal council or comparable gov-
ernmental body, elect to carry out this section 
as a jurisdiction subject to its provisions. 
(B) IMPLEMENTATION.—If a tribe does 
not, within one year of the enactment of this 
Act, make an election to take on these duties, 
it shall, by resolution or other enactment of the 
tribal council or comparable governmental body, 
enter into a cooperative agreement to arrange 
for a jurisdiction to carry out any function of 
the tribe under this section until such time as 
the tribe elects to carry out this section. 
(2) COOPERATION BETWEEN TRIBAL AUTHORI-
TIES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS.— 
(A) NONDUPLICATION.—A tribe subject to 
this section is not required to duplicate func-
tions under this section which are fully carried 
out by another jurisdiction or jurisdictions with-
in which the territory of the tribe is located.
(B) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—A tribe 
may, through cooperative agreements with such 
a jurisdiction or jurisdictions— 
(i) arrange for the tribe to carry out 
any function of such a jurisdiction under 
this section with respect to criminal 
arsonists or criminal bombers subject to 
the tribe’s jurisdiction; and 
(ii) arrange for such a jurisdiction to 
carry out any function of the tribe under 
this section with respect to criminal 
arsonists and criminal bombers subject to 
the tribe’s jurisdiction. 
(3) LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY IN INDIAN 
COUNTRY.—Enforcement of this section in Indian 
country, as defined in section 1151 of title 18, 
United States Code, shall be carried out by Federal, 
tribal, and State governments under existing juris-
dictional authorities. 
(k) IMMUNITY FOR GOOD FAITH CONDUCT.—The 
Federal Government, jurisdictions, political subdivisions of 
jurisdictions, and their agencies, officers, employees, and 
agents shall be immune from liability for good faith con-
duct under this section.
(l) CRIMINAL ARSONIST
AND CRIMINAL BOMBER 
MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall, 
subject to appropriations, establish and implement a 
Criminal Arsonist and Bomber Management Assist-
ance program (in this subsection referred to as the 
‘‘Assistance Program’’), under which the Attorney 
General shall award grants to jurisdictions to offset 
the costs of implementing the other provisions of 
this section. 
(2) APPLICATION.—The chief executive of a ju-
risdiction desiring a grant under this subsection, 
with respect to a fiscal year, shall for each such fis-
cal year submit to the Attorney General an applica-
tion in such form and containing such information 
as the Attorney General may require. 
(3) INCREASED GRANT PAYMENTS FOR PROMPT 
COMPLIANCE.—A jurisdiction that, as determined by 
the Attorney General, has substantially implemented 
the other provisions of this section not later than 
two years after the date of the enactment of this Act 
is eligible for a bonus payment in addition to the 
amount of grant funds available to such jurisdiction 
under paragraph (1). The Attorney General may, 
with respect to a jurisdiction, make such a bonus
payment to the jurisdiction for the first fiscal year 
beginning after the date such determination is made. 
The amount of the bonus payment shall be as fol-
lows: 
(A) In the case of a determination that the 
jurisdiction has substantially implemented this 
section by a date that is not later than the date 
that is one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, 10 percent of the total grant funds 
available to the jurisdiction under paragraph 
(1) for such fiscal year. 
(B) In the case of a determination that the 
jurisdiction has substantially implemented this 
section by a date that is later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, but 
not later than the date that is two years after 
such date of enactment, 5 percent of such total. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In 
addition to any amounts otherwise authorized to be 
appropriated, there are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Attorney General, to be available to 
carry out this subsection, such sums as may be nec-
essary for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 
2014. 
(m) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section:
(1) CRIMINAL ARSONIST.—The term ‘‘criminal 
arsonist’’ means an individual who is convicted of 
any criminal offense for committing arson, attempt-
ing arson, or conspiracy to commit arson in violation 
of the laws of the jurisdiction in which such offense 
was committed or the United States. Such term 
shall not include a juvenile who is convicted of such 
an offense unless such juvenile was tried as an adult 
for such offense. 
(2) CRIMINAL
BOMBER.—The term ‘‘criminal 
bomber’’ means an individual who is convicted of 
any criminal offense for committing a bombing, at-
tempting a bombing, or conspiracy to commit a 
bombing in violation of the laws of the jurisdiction 
in which such offense was committed or the United 
States. Such term shall not include a juvenile who 
is convicted of such an offense unless such juvenile 
was tried as an adult for such offense. 
(3) CRIMINAL OFFENSE.—The term ‘‘criminal 
offense’’ means a Federal, State, local, tribal, for-
eign, or military offense (to the extent specified by 
the 
Secretary 
of 
Defense 
under 
section 
115(a)(8)(C)(i) of Public Law 105–119 (10 U.S.C. 
951 note)) or other criminal offense.
(4) EMPLOYEE.—The term ‘‘employee’’ includes 
an individual who is self-employed or works for any 
other entity, whether compensated or not. 
(5) FIRE
SAFETY
OFFICER.—The term ‘‘fire 
safety officer’’ means an individual serving in an of-
ficial capacity as a fire investigator, or other arson 
or bomber investigator, as defined by the jurisdiction 
for the purposes of this section. 
(6) JURISDICTION.—The term ‘‘jurisdiction’’ 
means any of the following: 
(A) A State. 
(B) The District of Columbia. 
(C) The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 
(D) Guam. 
(E) American Samoa. 
(F) The Northern Mariana Islands. 
(G) The United States Virgin Islands. 
(H) To the extent provided and subject to 
the requirements of subsection (j), a federally 
recognized Indian tribe. 
(7) LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.—The term 
‘‘law enforcement officer’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 1204 of the Omnibus Crime 
Control and Safe Street Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
3796b).
(8) NATIONAL
REGISTRY.—The terms ‘‘Na-
tional Registry’’ and ‘‘arsonist and bomber registry’’ 
mean the registry of criminal arsonists and criminal 
bombers established under subsection (a)(1). 
(9) RESIDES.—The term ‘‘resides’’ means, with 
respect to an individual, the location of the individ-
ual’s home or other place where the individual habit-
ually lives. 
(10) STUDENT.—The term ‘‘student’’ means an 
individual who enrolls in or attends an educational 
institution (whether public or private), including a 
secondary school, trade or professional school, and 
institution of higher education. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 30, 
2009. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1727 
AN ACT 
To establish a national criminal arsonist and crimi-
nal bomber registry program and establish guide-
lines and incentives for States, territories and 
tribes to participate in such program.