Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-1684
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2009-09-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Crimes against property
Criminal justice information and records
Firearms and explosives
Government information and archives
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Law enforcement administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2009-09-17
text: 
Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2009 - Requires jurisdictions (i.e., states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and possessions, and federally recognized Indian tribes) to establish and maintain jurisdiction-wide criminal arsonist and bomber registries and make such registries available on the Internet.
 
Requires a criminal arsonist or bomber (an individual convicted of an arson or bombing offense) to register in each jurisdiction in which such arsonist or bomber resides, is an employee, or is a student and to keep such registration current. Sets forth other registration requirements and the information required to be provided in a registry by the criminal arsonist or bomber and jurisdictions. Requires jurisdictions to provide law enforcement and fire safety officials access to information in their registries on the Internet, with certain mandatory and optional exemptions.
 
Requires the Attorney General to: (1) maintain a national database at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) (to be known as the National Criminal Arsonist and Criminal Bomber Registry) and a national arsonist and bomber Internet site containing information on each criminal arsonist or bomber registered in a jurisdiction's registry or listed on a jurisdiction's Internet site, respectively; and (2) develop and support software to enable jurisdictions to establish and operate registries and Internet sites. 
 
Directs the Attorney General to establish and implement a Criminal Arsonist and Bomber Management Assistance program for awarding grants to jurisdictions to offset the costs of implementing this Act.

action_date: 2010-07-22
text: 
Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2010 - Directs the Attorney General to maintain at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) a national database for each criminal arsonist or bomber (an individual convicted of an arson or bombing offense), to be known as the National Criminal Arsonist and Criminal Bomber Registry. Limits the use of such Registry and disclosures therefrom to law enforcement purposes. 
 
Requires the Attorney General to: (1) ensure that updated information about a criminal arsonist or bomber is immediately available to all relevant jurisdictions (i.e., states, the District of Columbia, territories and possessions, and federally recognized Indian tribes); (2) provide notification to a jurisdiction in which the criminal arsonist or bomber is an employee, a student, or a resident; (3) establish and maintain a national arsonist and bomber Internet site which includes relevant information for each criminal arsonist or bomber; (4) establish guidelines for correction of erroneous information in the Registry or Internet site; and (5) develop and support software to enable jurisdictions to participate in the Registry and Internet site. Prohibits access by the public to information in the Registry or on the Internet site.
 
Sets forth the information required to be included in the Registry by the arsonist or bomber and by jurisdictions, including identifying information, physical descriptions, photographs, and fingerprints. Allows expungement of information from the Registry for juveniles after five years. Requires notification to criminal arsonists and bombers of registration requirements and the duty to register.
 
Requires jurisdictions to participate in the Registry before the later of three years after the enactment of this Act or one year after software provided by the Attorney General is made available to such jurisdictions. Allows federally recognized Indian tribes to elect to participate in the Registry.
 
Grants the federal government and jurisdictions immunity from liability for good faith conduct under this Act. 
 
Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to provide additional grant funding to assist states in implementing this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-07-22
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 481.
action_date: 2010-07-22
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2010-07-22
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2009-09-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9559-9562)
action_date: 2009-09-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9559)
action_date: 2009-09-17
text: Introduced in Senate