Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security Act of 2015
PL 114-50 (H.R.720), enacted 09/24/2015

129 STAT. 490 
PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015 
Public Law 114–50 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To improve intergovernmental planning for and communication during security 
incidents at domestic airports, 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 ‘‘Gerardo Hernandez Airport 
Security Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’ 
means the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transpor-
tation Security) of the Department of Homeland Security. 
(2) ADMINISTRATION.—The term ‘‘Administration’’ means 
the Transportation Security Administration. 
SEC. 3. SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE AT AIRPORTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary shall, in consultation 
with other Federal agencies as appropriate, conduct outreach to 
all airports in the United States at which the Administration per-
forms, or oversees the implementation and performance of, security 
measures, and provide technical assistance as necessary, to verify 
such airports have in place individualized working plans for 
responding to security incidents inside the perimeter of the airport, 
including active shooters, acts of terrorism, and incidents that target 
passenger-screening checkpoints. 
(b) TYPES OF PLANS.—Such plans may include, but may not 
be limited to, the following: 
(1) A strategy for evacuating and providing care to persons 
inside the perimeter of the airport, with consideration given 
to the needs of persons with disabilities. 
(2) A plan for establishing a unified command, including 
identification of staging areas for non-airport-specific law 
enforcement and fire response. 
(3) A schedule for regular testing of communications equip-
ment used to receive emergency calls. 
(4) An evaluation of how emergency calls placed by persons 
inside the perimeter of the airport will reach airport police 
in an expeditious manner. 
(5) A practiced method and plan to communicate with 
travelers and all other persons inside the perimeter of the 
airport. 
Consultation. 
Gerardo 
Hernandez 
Airport Security 
Act of 2015. 
49 USC 44903 
note. 
Sept. 24, 2015 
[H.R. 720] 
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129 STAT. 491 
PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015 
(6) To the extent practicable, a projected maximum time-
frame for law enforcement response to active shooters, acts 
of terrorism, and incidents that target passenger security- 
screening checkpoints. 
(7) A schedule of joint exercises and training to be con-
ducted by the airport, the Administration, other stakeholders 
such as airport and airline tenants, and any relevant law 
enforcement, airport police, fire, and medical personnel. 
(8) A schedule for producing after-action joint exercise 
reports to identify and determine how to improve security 
incident response capabilities. 
(9) A strategy, where feasible, for providing airport law 
enforcement with access to airport security video surveillance 
systems at category X airports where those systems were pur-
chased and installed using Administration funds. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall 
report to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate on the findings from its outreach 
to airports under subsection (a), including an analysis of the level 
of preparedness such airports have to respond to security incidents, 
including active shooters, acts of terrorism, and incidents that target 
passenger-screening checkpoints. 
SEC. 4. DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ON BEST PRACTICES. 
The Assistant Secretary shall— 
(1) identify best practices that exist across airports for 
security incident planning, management, and training; and 
(2) establish a mechanism through which to share such 
best practices with other airport operators nationwide. 
SEC. 5. CERTIFICATION. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, and annually thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall certify 
in writing to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate that all screening personnel have 
participated in practical training exercises for active shooter sce-
narios. 
SEC. 6. REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENTS. 
Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, the 
Assistant Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Homeland 
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an analysis 
of how the Administration can use cost savings achieved through 
efficiencies to increase over the next 5 fiscal years the funding 
available for checkpoint screening law enforcement support 
reimbursable agreements. 
SEC. 7. SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE FOR SURFACE TRANSPOR-
TATION SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary shall, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Transportation, and other relevant agencies, 
conduct outreach to all passenger transportation agencies and pro-
viders with high-risk facilities, as identified by the Assistant Sec-
retary, to verify such agencies and providers have in place plans 
Consultation. 
Deadline. 
Analysis. 
Time period. 
Deadline. 
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129 STAT. 492 
PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015 
to respond to active shooters, acts of terrorism, or other security- 
related incidents that target passengers. 
(b) TYPES OF PLANS.—As applicable, such plans may include, 
but may not be limited to, the following: 
(1) A strategy for evacuating and providing care to individ-
uals, with consideration given to the needs of persons with 
disabilities. 
(2) A plan for establishing a unified command. 
(3) A plan for frontline employees to receive active shooter 
training. 
(4) A schedule for regular testing of communications equip-
ment used to receive emergency calls. 
(5) An evaluation of how emergency calls placed by individ-
uals using the transportation system will reach police in an 
expeditious manner. 
(6) A practiced method and plan to communicate with 
individuals using the transportation system. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall report 
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate on the findings from its outreach to the agencies 
and providers under subsection (a), including an analysis of the 
level of preparedness such transportation systems have to respond 
to security incidents. 
(d) DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES.—The Assistant Sec-
retary shall identify best practices for security incident planning, 
management, and training and establish a mechanism through 
which to share such practices with passenger transportation agen-
cies nationwide. 
SEC. 8. NO ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act, and this Act shall be carried out using amounts 
otherwise available for such purpose. 
SEC. 9. INTEROPERABILITY REVIEW. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall, in consultation 
with the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Cybersecurity and 
Communications, conduct a review of the interoperable communica-
tions capabilities of the law enforcement, fire, and medical personnel 
responsible for responding to a security incident, including active 
shooter events, acts of terrorism, and incidents that target pas-
senger-screening checkpoints, at all airports in the United States 
at which the Administration performs, or oversees the implementa-
tion and performance of, security measures. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the completion of 
the review, the Assistant Secretary shall report the findings of 
the review to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
Deadline. 
Consultation. 
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129 STAT. 493 
PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 720: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 114–92 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015): 
Feb. 10, considered and passed House. 
Aug. 5, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Sept. 16, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate. 
Approved September 24, 2015. 
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