United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session

[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


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. <>

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 ``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) <>  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 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 <>  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 <>  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) <>  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 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) <>  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

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

Approved September 24, 2015.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 720:
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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.