[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2076 Reference Change Senate (RCS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2076

          To improve security at State and local courthouses.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 7, 2012

 Mr. Franken (for himself, Mr. Boozman, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Graham, and 
  Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

                             March 19, 2012

    Committee discharged; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
          To improve security at State and local courthouses.

    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 ``Local Courthouse Safety Act of 
2012''.

SEC. 2. PROVIDING LOCAL COURTHOUSES WITH SECURITY TRAINING AND 
              ASSESSMENTS.

    The Attorney General, as part of the Preventing Violence Against 
Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability 
Initiative (VALOR) of the Department of Justice, may provide safety 
training and technical assistance to local law enforcement agencies.

SEC. 3. IMPROVING FLEXIBILITY OF STATES TO USE GRANTS TO PROTECT 
              COURTHOUSES.

    (a) State Homeland Security Grant Program.--Section 2008(a) of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (12), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as paragraph (14); and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the following:
            ``(13) improving security at courthouses of a State or 
        local government; and''.
    (b) Byrne Grants.--Section 501(a)(1)(B) of title I of the Omnibus 
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3751(a)(1)(B)) is 
amended by inserting ``, including programs to improve security at 
courthouses'' before the period.

SEC. 4. IMPROVING ACCESS OF LOCAL COURTHOUSES TO EXCESS FEDERAL 
              SECURITY EQUIPMENT.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 40, United 
States Code, is amended by adding after section 529 the following:
``Sec. 530. Excess security equipment
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the term `excess security equipment' means excess 
        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 Excess Security Equipment.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        this subchapter, the Administrator of General Services shall 
        ensure that a State or local government has an opportunity to 
        request to receive excess security equipment for use at a 
        qualifying State or local courthouse before the excess 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 State or local government for excess 
                security equipment for use at a qualifying State or 
                local courthouse, the excess security equipment shall 
                be made available to the State or local government 
                without cost, except for any costs of care and 
                handling.
                    ``(B) Multiple requests.--If more than 1 State or 
                local government requests a particular piece of excess 
                security equipment, the excess 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 529 the following:

``530. Excess security equipment.''.
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