Title: Oversight of Law Enforcement Surveillance Act of 2021
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Oversight of Law Enforcement Surveillance Act of 2021
This bill establishes reporting requirements related to the use of surveillance technology by law enforcement agencies in major metropolitan areas. The term major metropolitan area means an area with at least 250,000 residents.
Specifically, the bill requires a law enforcement agency of a major metropolitan area receiving federal funds from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report annually to DHS, the Inspector General of DHS, and Congress on the use of surveillance technology.
Additionally, the bill requires the Inspector General of DHS to report annually to Congress on the use of surveillance technology and the impact of its use on civil liberties and privacy.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2856 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2856

To require the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security 
    to report on the use of surveillance technology, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 26, 2021

    Mr. Torres of New York introduced the following bill; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security 
    to report on the use of surveillance technology, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Oversight of Law Enforcement 
Surveillance Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. REPORTING ON SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, a law enforcement 
agency of a major metropolitan area receiving any Federal funds from 
the Department of Homeland Security shall report the use of 
surveillance technology to:
            (1) The Secretary of Homeland Security.
            (2) The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland 
        Security.
            (3) The United States Congress.
    (b) Report by Inspector General.--Not later than one year after the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Inspector General 
of the Department of Homeland Security shall report to the Committee on 
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate on the use of 
surveillance technology and the impact the use of such technology has 
on civil liberties and privacy.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Law enforcement agency.--The term ``law enforcement 
        agency'' means a State, local, Indian tribal, or campus public 
        agency engaged in the prevention, detection, investigation, 
        prosecution, or adjudication of violations of criminal laws.
            (2) Major metropolitan area.--The term ``major metropolitan 
        area'' means an area including 250,000 residents or more.
            (3) Surveillance technology.--The term ``surveillance 
        technology'' means equipment, software, or system capable of, 
        or used or designed for, collecting, retaining, processing, or 
        sharing audio, video, location, thermal, biometric, or similar 
        information, that is operated by or at the direction of the 
        department.
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