H.R.720 - Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security Act of 2015114th Congress (2015-2016)

Text: H.R.720 — 114th Congress (2015-2016)All Information (Except Text)

Shown Here:
Public Law No: 114-50 (09/24/2015)

[114th Congress Public Law 50]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 489]]

             GERARDO HERNANDEZ AIRPORT SECURITY ACT OF 2015

[[Page 129 STAT. 490]]

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. <<NOTE: Sept. 24, 2015 -  [H.R. 720]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Gerardo 
Hernandez Airport Security Act of 2015. 49 USC 44903 note.>> 
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 
        (Transportation 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) <<NOTE: Consultation.>>  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 performs, 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 
        equipment 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.

[[Page 129 STAT. 491]]

            (6) To the extent practicable, a projected maximum timeframe 
        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 
        conducted 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 
        purchased 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 <<NOTE: Deadline.>>  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 
scenarios.
SEC. 6. REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENTS.

    Not <<NOTE: Deadline. Analysis.>>  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 TRANSPORTATION 
                    SYSTEMS.

    (a) <<NOTE: Consultation.>>  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 providers with high-risk facilities, as identified by the 
Assistant Secretary, to verify such agencies and providers have in place 
plans

[[Page 129 STAT. 492]]

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 
        individuals, 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 
        equipment used to receive emergency calls.
            (5) An evaluation of how emergency calls placed by 
        individuals 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 Representatives 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 Secretary shall 
identify best practices for security incident planning, management, and 
training and establish a mechanism through which to share such practices 
with passenger transportation agencies 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) <<NOTE: Deadline. Consultation.>>  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 
communications 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 
passenger-screening checkpoints, at all airports in the United States at 
which the Administration performs, or oversees the implementation 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

[[Page 129 STAT. 493]]

of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate.

    Approved September 24, 2015.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 720:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

SENATE REPORTS: No. 114-92 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation).
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.

                                  <all>