[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 374 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 374

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs to notify local law enforcement agencies of 
    allegations of a missing patient or of certain crimes or other 
    misconduct at medical facilities under the jurisdiction of that 
 Secretary and to enable such agencies to investigate such allegations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 19, 1999

Mr. Frelinghuysen introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs to notify local law enforcement agencies of 
    allegations of a missing patient or of certain crimes or other 
    misconduct at medical facilities under the jurisdiction of that 
 Secretary and to enable such agencies to investigate such allegations.

    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 ``Veterans Personal Security Act''.

SEC. 2. NOTIFICATION TO AND INVESTIGATION BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 
              AGENCIES OF REPORTS OF A MISSING PATIENT OR OF CERTAIN 
              CRIMES AND OTHER MISCONDUCT AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITIES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 9 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 906. Reports of missing patients and of certain crimes or other 
              misconduct: notification to and investigation by local 
              law enforcement agencies
    ``(a) If the Department receives notice of a reportable allegation 
described in subsection (b), the Secretary--
            ``(1) shall provide notice of such allegation to 
        appropriate local law enforcement agencies--
                    ``(A) immediately; and
                    ``(B) in writing within 48 hours;
            ``(2) shall provide, to any appropriate local law 
        enforcement agency conducting an independent investigation of 
        such allegation, access to the Department medical facility as 
        the agency reasonably requires; and
            ``(3) shall not impede or impair any appropriate local law 
        enforcement agency from conducting an independent investigation 
        of such allegation.
    ``(b) A reportable allegation referred to in subsection (a) is an 
allegation that any of the following has occurred at a Department 
medical facility:
            ``(1) A patient is missing.
            ``(2) A patient or staff member has caused physical abuse 
        or battery to a patient or staff member.
            ``(3) A patient or staff member has unlawfully possessed or 
        used a controlled substance.
            ``(4) A rape or any other felony or indictable offense has 
        been committed.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``906. Reports of missing patients and of certain crimes or other 
                            misconduct: notification to and 
                            investigation by local law enforcement 
                            agencies.''.
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