Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security Act of 2015

PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015

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GERARDO HERNANDEZ AIRPORT SECURITY
ACT OF 2015

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129 STAT. 490

PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015

Public Law 114–50
114th Congress
An Act
Sept. 24, 2015
[H.R. 720]
Gerardo
Hernandez
Airport Security
Act of 2015.
49 USC 44903
note.

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.

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Consultation.

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(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.

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PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015

129 STAT. 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 securityscreening 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.

Deadline.

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.

Deadline.
Analysis.

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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

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129 STAT. 492

PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015

to respond to active shooters, acts of terrorism, or other securityrelated 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.

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Deadline.
Consultation.

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(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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PUBLIC LAW 114–50—SEPT. 24, 2015

129 STAT. 493

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

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Approved September 24, 2015.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 720:
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.

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