DHS Social Media Improvement Act of 2015
PL 114-80 (H.R.623), enacted 11/05/2015

129 STAT. 646 
PUBLIC LAW 114–80—NOV. 5, 2015 
Public Law 114–80 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Department of 
Homeland Security to establish a social media working group, 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 ‘‘DHS Social Media Improvement 
Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 
2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 318. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish within the 
Department a social media working group (in this section referred 
to as the ‘Group’). 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—In order to enhance the dissemination of 
information through social media technologies between the Depart-
ment and appropriate stakeholders and to improve use of social 
media technologies in support of preparedness, response, and 
recovery, the Group shall identify, and provide guidance and best 
practices to the emergency preparedness and response community 
on, the use of social media technologies before, during, and after 
a natural disaster or an act of terrorism or other man-made disaster. 
‘‘(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Membership of the Group shall be com-
posed of a cross section of subject matter experts from Federal, 
State, local, tribal, territorial, and nongovernmental organiza-
tion practitioners, including representatives from the following 
entities: 
‘‘(A) The Office of Public Affairs of the Department. 
‘‘(B) The Office of the Chief Information Officer of 
the Department. 
‘‘(C) The Privacy Office of the Department. 
‘‘(D) The Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
‘‘(E) The Office of Disability Integration and Coordina-
tion of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
‘‘(F) The American Red Cross. 
‘‘(G) The Forest Service. 
‘‘(H) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
‘‘(I) The United States Geological Survey. 
6 USC 195d. 
6 USC 101 note. 
DHS Social 
Media 
Improvement Act 
of 2015. 
Nov. 5, 2015 
[H.R. 623] 
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129 STAT. 647 
PUBLIC LAW 114–80—NOV. 5, 2015 
‘‘(J) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration. 
‘‘(2) CHAIRPERSON; CO-CHAIRPERSON.— 
‘‘(A) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary, or a designee of 
the Secretary, shall serve as the chairperson of the Group. 
‘‘(B) CO-CHAIRPERSON.—The chairperson shall des-
ignate, on a rotating basis, a representative from a State 
or local government who is a member of the Group to 
serve as the co-chairperson of the Group. 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.—The chairperson shall appoint, 
on a rotating basis, qualified individuals to the Group. The 
total number of such additional members shall— 
‘‘(A) be equal to or greater than the total number 
of regular members under paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(B) include— 
‘‘(i) not fewer than 3 representatives from the pri-
vate sector; and 
‘‘(ii) representatives from— 
‘‘(I) State, local, tribal, and territorial entities, 
including from— 
‘‘(aa) law enforcement; 
‘‘(bb) fire services; 
‘‘(cc) emergency management; and 
‘‘(dd) public health entities; 
‘‘(II) universities and academia; and 
‘‘(III) nonprofit disaster relief organizations. 
‘‘(4) TERM LIMITS.—The chairperson shall establish term 
limits for individuals appointed to the Group under paragraph 
(3). 
‘‘(d) CONSULTATION WITH NON-MEMBERS.—To the extent prac-
ticable, the Group shall work with entities in the public and private 
sectors to carry out subsection (b). 
‘‘(e) MEETINGS.— 
‘‘(1) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Group shall hold its 
initial meeting. 
‘‘(2) SUBSEQUENT
MEETINGS.—After the initial meeting 
under paragraph (1), the Group shall meet— 
‘‘(A) at the call of the chairperson; and 
‘‘(B) not less frequently than twice each year. 
‘‘(3) VIRTUAL MEETINGS.—Each meeting of the Group may 
be held virtually. 
‘‘(f) REPORTS.—During each year in which the Group meets, 
the Group shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a report that includes the following: 
‘‘(1) A review and analysis of current and emerging social 
media technologies being used to support preparedness and 
response activities related to natural disasters and acts of ter-
rorism and other man-made disasters. 
‘‘(2) A review of best practices and lessons learned on 
the use of social media technologies during the response to 
natural disasters and acts of terrorism and other man-made 
disasters that occurred during the period covered by the report 
at issue. 
‘‘(3) Recommendations to improve the Department’s use 
of social media technologies for emergency management pur-
poses. 
Deadline. 
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129 STAT. 648 
PUBLIC LAW 114–80—NOV. 5, 2015 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 623: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 114–145 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015): 
Feb. 2, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 7, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Oct. 28, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
‘‘(4) Recommendations to improve public awareness of the 
type of information disseminated through social media tech-
nologies, and how to access such information, during a natural 
disaster or an act of terrorism or other man-made disaster. 
‘‘(5) A review of available training for Federal, State, local, 
tribal, and territorial officials on the use of social media tech-
nologies in response to a natural disaster or an act of terrorism 
or other man-made disaster. 
‘‘(6) A review of coordination efforts with the private sector 
to discuss and resolve legal, operational, technical, privacy, 
and security concerns. 
‘‘(g) DURATION OF GROUP.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Group shall terminate on the date 
that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this section 
unless the chairperson renews the Group for a successive 5- 
year period, prior to the date on which the Group would other-
wise terminate, by submitting to the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives 
a certification that the continued existence of the Group is 
necessary to fulfill the purpose described in subsection (b). 
‘‘(2) CONTINUED RENEWAL.—The chairperson may continue 
to renew the Group for successive 5-year periods by submitting 
a certification in accordance with paragraph (1) prior to the 
date on which the Group would otherwise terminate.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in section 
1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 317 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 318. Social media working group.’’. 
Approved November 5, 2015. 
Certification. 
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