IIB 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1727 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
OCTOBER 1, 2009 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
AN ACT 
To establish a national criminal arsonist and criminal bomber 
registry program and establish guidelines and incentives 
for States, territories and tribes to participate in such 
program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
HR 1727 RFS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Managing Arson 
Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. CRIMINAL ARSONIST AND CRIMINAL BOMBER REG-
ISTRATION AND NOTIFICATION PROGRAM. 
(a) NATIONAL CRIMINAL ARSONIST AND CRIMINAL 
BOMBER REGISTRY AND INTERNET SITE.— 
(1) NATIONAL CRIMINAL ARSONIST AND CRIMI-
NAL BOMBER REGISTRY.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General 
shall maintain a national database at the Bu-
reau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explo-
sives for each criminal arsonist or criminal 
bomber. The database shall be known as the 
National 
Criminal 
Arsonist 
and 
Criminal 
Bomber Registry and shall be referred to in 
this section as the ‘‘National Registry’’. Such 
registry shall be used for law enforcement pur-
poses only and information maintained in such 
registry may only be disclosed in connection 
with such purposes. 
(B) ELECTRONIC FORWARDING.—The At-
torney General shall ensure (through the na-
tional registry or otherwise) that updated infor-
mation about a criminal arsonist or criminal 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
HR 1727 RFS
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-
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
HR 1727 RFS
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 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
HR 1727 RFS
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 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
HR 1727 RFS
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 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
HR 1727 RFS
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. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
HR 1727 RFS
(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.— 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
HR 1727 RFS
(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-
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
HR 1727 RFS
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-
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:45 Oct 02, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1727.RFS
H1727
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS