[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5251 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5251

 To direct the Attorney General to establish a task force to study the 
   causes of violence against and involving law enforcement and make 
             recommendations on improving community safety.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 22, 2019

 Mr. Correa (for himself, Mr. Harder of California, and Mr. Carbajal) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and 
   Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Attorney General to establish a task force to study the 
   causes of violence against and involving law enforcement and make 
             recommendations on improving community safety.

    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 ``Improving Community Safety Task 
Force Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVING COMMUNITY SAFETY TASK FORCE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Attorney General shall establish a 
community safety task force (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the 
``task force'') within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act 
with the goal of promoting community safety.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--The task force shall include a 
        chairperson and twelve members selected by the Attorney General 
        in consultation with the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, the minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, and the 
        minority leader of the Senate in accordance with the following:
                    (A) Representation.--Membership shall include at 
                least one representative of:
                            (i) Community organizations.
                            (ii) Non-governmental civil rights 
                        organizations.
                            (iii) State law enforcement.
                            (iv) Federal law enforcement.
                            (v) Firefighters.
                            (vi) Emergency medical technicians.
                            (vii) Security officers from educational 
                        institutions.
                            (viii) An institution of higher education 
                        (as such term is defined in section 101 of the 
                        Higher Education Act of 1965) that is 
                        determined by the Attorney General to have 
                        expertise in law enforcement research.
                            (ix) Local governments, including one 
                        municipal and one county law enforcement 
                        representative.
                    (B) Geographic diversity.--In selecting membership, 
                the Attorney General shall make sure the task force 
                includes representatives from all regions of the 
                country, and from rural, urban, and suburban 
                communities.
            (2) Chairperson.--The Attorney General shall appoint the 
        chairperson of the task force from among the members.
            (3) Term of membership.--Members of the task force shall 
        serve until the task force is terminated. The chairperson shall 
        serve until the Attorney General appoints a new chairperson.
            (4) Compensation.--Members of the task force may be allowed 
        travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at 
        rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I 
        of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from 
        their homes or regular places of business in the performance of 
        services for the task force.
    (c) Duties.--The duties of the task force are as follows:
            (1) To study violence against and involving law enforcement 
        and first responders.
            (2) To make recommendations on steps that can be taken to 
        limit such violence, including assessing--
                    (A) the causes for, the frequency of, and the types 
                of attacks against law enforcement officers and other 
                first responders; and
                    (B) the causes for, the frequency of, and the types 
                of law enforcement's use of deadly force.
            (3) To make recommendations about--
                    (A) how to prevent attacks against law enforcement 
                officers and other first responders; and
                    (B) how to minimize use of deadly force by law 
                enforcement.
    (d) Powers of the Task Force.--
            (1) Hearings.--The task force may, for the purpose of 
        carrying out this section, hold hearings, sit and act at times 
        and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the task 
        force considers appropriate.
            (2) Powers of members and agents.--Any member or agent of 
        the task force may, if authorized by the task force, take any 
        action which the task force is authorized to take by this 
        section.
            (3) Obtaining official data.--Subject to applicable privacy 
        laws and regulations, the task force may secure directly from 
        any department or agency of the United States information 
        necessary to enable it to carry out this section. Upon request 
        of the chairperson of the task force, the head of that 
        department or agency shall furnish that information to the task 
        force.
            (4) Mails.--The task force may use the United States mails 
        in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
        departments and agencies of the United States.
            (5) Administrative support services.--Upon the request of 
        the task force, the Administrator of General Services shall 
        provide to the task force, on a reimbursable basis, the 
        administrative support services necessary for the task force to 
        carry out its duties under this section.
            (6) Contract authority.--To the extent or in the amounts 
        provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the task force may 
        contract with and compensate government agencies and private 
        entities or persons for services necessary to carry out its 
        duties under this section.
    (e) Operating Rules and Procedures.--
            (1) Initial meeting.--The task force shall meet not later 
        than 30 days after the date on which a majority of the members 
        of the task force have been appointed.
            (2) Meetings.--The task force shall alternate its meeting 
        locations between the geographic regions reflected in the task 
        force membership.
            (3) Voting.--Each member of the task force shall have one 
        vote.
            (4) Rules and procedures.--Any member of the task force may 
        propose to create or alter existing operating rules and 
        procedures consistent with the functions of the task force. Any 
        change to the operating rules and procedures shall be adopted 
        only upon a majority vote of the task force.
            (5) Recommendations.--The task force shall adopt 
        recommendations under subsection (c)(2) and subsection (c)(4) 
        only upon a majority vote.
            (6) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the task force 
        shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may 
        hold meetings.
    (f) Director and Staff.--
            (1) Director.--The task force may appoint and set the pay 
        of a director.
            (2) Staff.--The director may appoint not more than 10 staff 
        personnel as the director considers appropriate.
            (3) Applicability of certain civil service laws.--The staff 
        of the task force shall be appointed subject to the provisions 
        of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the 
        competitive service, and shall be paid in accordance with the 
        provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of 
        that title relating to classification and General Schedule pay 
        rates.
            (4) Experts and consultants.--The task force and the 
        director, acting with the approval of the task force, may 
        procure temporary and intermittent services under section 
        3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
            (5) Staff of federal agencies.--Upon the request of the 
        director, the head of any Federal department or agency may 
        detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that 
        department or agency to the task force to assist it in carrying 
        out its duties under this section.
    (g) Duration.--The task force established under subsection (a) 
shall terminate not later than two years after the date of which the 
task force is established under such subsection.
    (h) Reports.--
            (1) Submittal of report.--Not later than one year after the 
        date of the initial meeting of the task force, the Attorney 
        General shall submit to Congress a report on the 
        recommendations of the task force.
            (2) Assessment of implementation.--Not later than 120 days 
        after submission of the report in subsection (h)(1), the 
        Attorney General shall submit to Congress a report containing 
        the assessment of the Attorney General regarding the 
        implementation of the recommendations of the task force.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $1,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2019 through 
2020 to carry out this section.
    (j) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Crime of violence.--The term ``crime of violence'' 
        means any Federal, State, or local offense that has as an 
        element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical 
        force against the person of another.
            (2) Deadly force.--The term ``deadly force'' means force 
        reasonably anticipated and intended to create a substantial 
        likelihood of causing death or great bodily injury.
            (3) First responder.--The term ``first responder'' means an 
        individual with specialized training, the duties of whose 
        position are primarily to provide on-site assistance including 
        Federal, State, and local governmental and nongovernmental 
        firefighter, emergency medical technician, and paramedic 
        personnel.
            (4) Law enforcement officer.--The term ``law enforcement 
        officer'' means an individual, the duties of whose position are 
        primarily the investigation, apprehension, or detention of 
        individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against criminal 
        or civil laws, including police, corrections, probation, 
        parole, and judicial officers.
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