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S 445 113th Congress Senate Law Government buildings, facilities, and property Law enforcement administration and funding Law enforcement officers State and local courts

Courthouse Safety Act of 2013

Introduced: March 4, 2013 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 4, 2013
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mar 4, 2013
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Courthouse Safety Act of 2013 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to permit the Director of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance to carry out a training and technical assistance program to teach employees of state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies how to anticipate, survive, and respond to violent encounters during the course of their duties, including duties relating to security at state, county, and tribal courthouses.

Requires the Director to give preference for any courthouse security training program to employees of jurisdictions that have magnetometers available at their courthouses.

Amends the State Justice Institute Act of 1984 to require the State Justice Institute (a private nonprofit organization established to improve judicial administration in state courts) to include courthouse safety as a factor in the national assistance program under which it provides funding to state courts and related national and nonprofit organizations. Permits state and local courts and other organizations awarded funds pursuant to Institute grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to use such funds to improve safety and security in state and local courts.

Requires, if such a grant is awarded to state or local courts without magnetometers, that specified matching funds be used acquire a magnetometer.

Directs the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to ensure that state or local courthouses having less security equipment than such courthouses require have an opportunity to request surplus security equipment (metal detectors, wands, baggage screening devices) before such equipment is made available to any other individual or entity. Requires that priority be given to courthouses that have no security equipment.

What's happening now March 4, 2013

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1