Local Courthouse Safety Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1566
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Poe, Ted [R-TX-2]
Introduced: 2015-03-24
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Government buildings, facilities, and property

Judicial procedure and administration

Law enforcement administration and funding

Law enforcement officers

State and local courts
Latest action: action_date: 2015-04-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-03-24
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Local Courthouse Safety Act of 2015</b></p> <p>Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to permit the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance to carry out a training and technical assistance program to teach employees of state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies how to anticipate, survive, and respond to violent encounters during the course of their duties, including duties relating to security at state, county, and tribal courthouses.</p> <p>Amends the State Justice Institute Act of 1984 to require the State Justice Institute (a private nonprofit organization established to improve judicial administration in state courts) to include the improvement of the safety and security of state and local courts as a factor in the national assistance program under which it provides funding to state courts and related national and nonprofit organizations. Requires state or local courts that do not have magnetometers available for use to use grant matching funds to acquire magnetometers.</p> <p>Directs the General Services Administration to ensure that state or local courthouses having less security equipment than such courthouses require have an opportunity to request surplus security equipment (metal detectors, wands, baggage screening devices) before such equipment is made available to any other individual or entity. Requires that priority be given to courthouses that have no security equipment.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1566 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 24, 2015 Mr. Poe of Texas (for himself and Mr. Pierluisi ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To improve security at State and local courthouses.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Local Courthouse Safety Act of 2015 . 2. Security training Part D of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3741 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: 403. Preventing violence against law enforcement and ensuring officer resilience and survivability The Director may carry out a training and technical assistance program designed to teach employees of State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies how to anticipate, survive, and respond to violent encounters during the course of their duties, including duties relating to security at State, county, and tribal courthouses. If the Director offers a training program specifically designed to train participants on courthouse security issues, preference for admission into such program shall be given to employees of jurisdictions that have magnetometers available for use at their courthouses. . 3. State Justice Institute The State Justice Institute Act of 1984 is amended— (1) in section 203(b)(1) ( 42 U.S.C. 10702(b)(1) ), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting , safe, after a fair ; and (2) in section 206 ( 42 U.S.C. 10705 )— (A) in subsection (c)— (i) in paragraph (14)— (I) by inserting to before conduct ; and (II) by striking and at the end; (ii) by redesignating paragraph (15) as paragraph (16); and (iii) by inserting after paragraph (14) the following: (15) to improve the safety and security of State and local courts; and ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (g) Magnetometers In the case of a grant awarded under this section to be used as described in subsection (c)(15), if the State or local court applying for the grant does not have magnetometers available for use, not less than $300 nor more than $1,000 of the matching fund required under subsection (d) of the State or local court shall be used to acquire a magnetometer. . 4. Security equipment (a) In general Subchapter III of chapter 5 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding after section 559 the following: 560. Surplus security equipment for State and local courts (a) Definitions In this section— (1) the term surplus security equipment means surplus property that is used to detect weapons, including metal detectors, wands, and baggage screening devices; and (2) the term qualifying State or local courthouse means a courthouse of a State or local government that has less security equipment than the security needs of the courthouse require. (b) Disposal of surplus security equipment (1) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the Administrator of General Services shall ensure that a qualifying State or local courthouse has an opportunity to request to receive surplus security equipment for use at the qualifying State or local courthouse before the surplus security equipment is made available to any other individual or entity under this subchapter. (2) Disposal (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (B), upon request by a qualifying State or local courthouse for surplus security equipment for use at the qualifying State or local courthouse, the surplus security equipment shall be made available to the qualifying State or local courthouse without cost, except for any costs of shipping, handling, and maintenance. (B) Multiple requests If more than 1 qualifying State or local courthouse requests a particular piece of surplus security equipment, the surplus security equipment shall be distributed based on need, as determined by the Administrator of General Services, with priority given to a qualifying State or local courthouse that has no security equipment. . (b) Technical and conforming amendment The table of sections for chapter 5 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 559 the following: 560. Surplus security equipment for State and local courts. .