[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 238 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.238

                     One Hundred Fourteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
           the fourth day of January, two thousand and sixteen


                                 An Act


 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to authorize the Director of the 
  Bureau of Prisons to issue oleoresin capsicum spray to officers and 
                   employees of the Bureau of Prisons.

    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 ``Eric Williams Correctional Officer 
Protection Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE BUREAU OF PRISONS AUTHORIZED TO 
CARRY OLEORESIN CAPSICUM SPRAY.
    (a) In General.--Chapter 303 of part III of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 4049. Officers and employees of the Bureau of Prisons authorized 
    to carry oleoresin capsicum spray
    ``(a) In General.--The Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall 
issue, on a routine basis, oleoresin capsicum spray to--
        ``(1) any officer or employee of the Bureau of Prisons who--
            ``(A) is employed in a prison that is not a minimum or low 
        security prison; and
            ``(B) may respond to an emergency situation in such a 
        prison; and
        ``(2) to such additional officers and employees of prisons as 
    the Director determines appropriate, in accordance with this 
    section.
    ``(b) Training Requirement.--
        ``(1) In general.--In order for an officer or employee of the 
    Bureau of Prisons, including a correctional officer, to be eligible 
    to receive and carry oleoresin capsicum spray pursuant to this 
    section, the officer or employee shall complete a training course 
    before being issued such spray, and annually thereafter, on the use 
    of oleoresin capsicum spray.
        ``(2) Transferability of training.--An officer or employee of 
    the Bureau of Prisons who completes a training course pursuant to 
    paragraph (1) and subsequently transfers to employment at a 
    different prison, shall not be required to complete an additional 
    training course solely due such transfer.
        ``(3) Training conducted during regular employment.--An officer 
    or employee of the Bureau of Prisons who completes a training 
    course required under paragraph (1) shall do so during the course 
    of that officer or employee's regular employment, and shall be 
    compensated at the same rate that the officer or employee would be 
    compensated for conducting the officer or employee's regular 
    duties.
    ``(c) Use of Oleoresin Capsicum Spray.--Officers and employees of 
the Bureau of Prisons issued oleoresin capsicum spray pursuant to 
subsection (a) may use such spray to reduce acts of violence--
        ``(1) committed by prisoners against themselves, other 
    prisoners, prison visitors, and officers and employees of the 
    Bureau of Prisons; and
        ``(2) committed by prison visitors against themselves, 
    prisoners, other visitors, and officers and employees of the Bureau 
    of Prisons.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 303 of 
part III of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 4048 the following:

``4049. Officers and employees of the Bureau of Prisons authorized to 
          carry oleoresin capsicum spray.''.
SEC. 3. GAO REPORT.
    Not later than the date that is 3 years after the date on which the 
Director of the Bureau of Prisons begins to issue oleoresin capsicum 
spray to officers and employees of the Bureau of Prisons pursuant to 
section 4049 of title 18, United States Code, as added by this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a 
report that includes the following:
        (1) An evaluation of the effectiveness of issuing oleoresin 
    capsicum spray to officers and employees of the Bureau of Prisons 
    in prisons that are not minimum or low security prisons on--
            (A) reducing crime in such prisons; and
            (B) reducing acts of violence committed by prisoners 
        against themselves, other prisoners, prison visitors, and 
        officers and employees of the Bureau of Prisons in such 
        prisons.
        (2) An evaluation of the advisability of issuing oleoresin 
    capsicum spray to officers and employees of the Bureau of Prisons 
    in prisons that are minimum or low security prisons, including--
            (A) the effectiveness that issuing such spray in such 
        prisons would have on reducing acts of violence committed by 
        prisoners against themselves, other prisoners, prison visitors, 
        and officers and employees of the Bureau of Prisons in such 
        prisons; and
            (B) the cost of issuing such spray in such prisons.
        (3) Recommendations to improve the safety of officers and 
    employees of the Bureau of Prisons in prisons.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.