Improving Community Safety Task Force Act
This bill establishes a community safety task force to promote community safety.
Among other things, the task force must study and make recommendations to reduce violence against and involving law enforcement and first responders.
[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.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
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.
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.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
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