Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Airport Access Control 
Security Improvement Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. AVIATION SECURITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title XVI of the Home-
land Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 1602. RISK-BASED SCREENING OF EMPLOYEES AT AIR-
PORTS. 
‘‘(a) SCREENING MODEL.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the Ad-
ministrator shall establish a risk-based, intelligence- 
driven model for the screening of employees at air-
ports based on level of access and employment posi-
tions at domestic airports. Such screening model 
shall— 
‘‘(A) ensure that only those individuals au-
thorized to have access to the secure areas of a 
domestic airport are permitted such access; 
‘‘(B) ensure that an individual is imme-
diately denied entry to a secure area when such 
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individual’s access authorization for such secure 
area is withdrawn; and 
‘‘(C) provide a means to differentiate be-
tween individuals authorized to have access to an 
entire secure area and individuals authorized ac-
cess to only a particular portion of a secure 
area. 
‘‘(2) FACTORS.—The Administrator shall con-
sider the following factors when establishing the 
screening model described in paragraph (1): 
‘‘(A) Whether and how often employees at 
airports require employment-related access to Se-
cure Identification Display Areas, Airport Oper-
ations Areas, or secure areas. 
‘‘(B) The ability of each airport operator to 
reduce employee entry and exit points to a mu-
tually agreed upon minimum number of such 
entry and exit points necessary to maintain air-
port operations. 
‘‘(C) In consultation with airport operators, 
the ability of the Administration to create a ran-
domization plan for screening at the defined 
operational minimum entry and exit points at 
airports which maximizes the deterrent effect of 
screening efforts. 
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‘‘(b) DISQUALIFYING OFFENSES.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the Ad-
ministrator, in consultation with the Director of the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation, labor organizations 
representing aviation, ground, and cabin crew work-
ers, and the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, 
shall conduct an aviation security risk-based review 
of the disqualifying criminal offenses codified in sec-
tions 1542.209 and 1544.229 of title 49, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations, to determine the appropriateness of 
such offenses as a basis for denying to an employee 
a credential that allows unescorted access to Secure 
Identification Display Areas of airports. Such review 
shall consider the following: 
‘‘(A) The adequacy of codified disqualifying 
offenses to address the current aviation security 
threat environment, particularly the terrorism 
insider threat. 
‘‘(B) If such codified disqualifying offenses 
should be tailored to address the current aviation 
security threat environment, particularly the ter-
rorism insider threat, by excluding or including 
other offenses. 
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‘‘(C) The potential security benefits, draw-
backs, and challenges associated with identifying 
patterns of misdemeanors or of other non-dis-
qualifying offenses that could jeopardize aviation 
security. 
‘‘(D) The feasibility of integrating similar 
departmental eligibility requirements for access 
to Secure Identification Display Areas of air-
ports. 
‘‘(E) If the ten year look-back period for 
disqualifying offenses is appropriate, in light of 
the current aviation security threat environment, 
particularly the terrorism insider threat. 
‘‘(2) WAIVER.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Adminis-
trator shall provide an adequate redress process for 
an employee who is subject to an adverse employment 
decision, including removal or suspension of such em-
ployee, due to a disqualifying offense referred to in 
paragraph (1), that is consistent with the appeals 
and waiver process established for applicants for com-
mercial motor vehicle hazardous materials endorse-
ments and transportation workers at ports under sec-
tion 70105(c) of title 46, United States Code. 
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‘‘(3) NOTICE.—Any changes to the Secure Identi-
fication Display area badge program, such as changes 
considered pursuant to subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), 
and (E) of paragraph (1) shall be subject to notice of 
proposed rulemaking. 
‘‘(4) BRIEFING TO CONGRESS.—Upon completion 
of the aviation security risk-based review required 
under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall brief 
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity and Governmental Affairs and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate on the results of such review. 
‘‘(c) CREDENTIALING.—Not later than 120 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Administrator, 
in consultation with the Aviation Security Advisory Com-
mittee, shall review the auditing procedures for all airport- 
issued identification media. Such review shall determine the 
following: 
‘‘(1) The efficacy of the auditing program re-
quirements at domestic airports to ensure the integ-
rity, accountability, and control of airport-issued 
identification media. 
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