[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3984 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3984
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the State Justice Institute Act of 1984 to authorize the State
Justice Institute to provide awards to certain organizations to
establish a State judicial threat intelligence and resource center.
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 ``Countering Threats and Attacks on
Our Judges Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Section 202 of the State Justice Institute Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C.
10701) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (7), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(9) `eligible organization' means a national nonprofit
organization that--
``(A) provides technical assistance and training
on, and has expertise and national-level experience in,
judicial security and safety at the State and local
levels;
``(B) has experience in courthouse design and
courthouse security design standards;
``(C) has an understanding of State judicial
operations and public access to judicial services; and
``(D) has experience working with a wide array of
different judges and court systems, including an
understanding of the challenges facing trial courts,
appellate courts, rural courts, and limited-
jurisdiction courts at the State and local levels.''.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE JUDICIAL THREAT INTELLIGENCE AND
RESOURCE CENTER.
Section 206(c) of the State Justice Institute Act of 1984 (42
U.S.C. 10705(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (14), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (15) as paragraph (16); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (14) the following:
``(15) to provide financial and technical support to
eligible organizations to establish, implement, and operate a
State judicial threat and intelligence resource center to--
``(A) provide technical assistance and training
around judicial security, including--
``(i) providing judicial officer safety
education and training for judicial officers,
courts, and local law enforcement;
``(ii) creating resources and guides around
judicial security; and
``(iii) providing physical security
assessments for courts, homes, and other
facilities where judicial officers and staff
conduct court-related business;
``(B) proactively monitor threats to the safety of
State and local judges and court staff;
``(C) coordinate with Federal, State, and local law
enforcement agencies to mitigate threats to the safety
of State and local judges and court staff;
``(D) develop standardized incident reporting and
threat evaluation practices for State and local courts
in coordination with State and local law enforcement
and fusion centers;
``(E) develop a national database for reporting,
tracking, and sharing information about threats and
incidents towards judicial officers and court staff at
local and State levels with entities working in the
interest of judicial security, including State and
local law enforcement and fusion centers; and
``(F) coordinate research to identify, examine, and
advance best practices around judicial security.''.
SEC. 4. REPORTS.
Not later than 1 year after the date on which a State judicial
threat intelligence and resource center is established under paragraph
(15) of section 206(c) of the State Justice Institute Act of 1984, as
added by section 3 of this Act, the State Justice Institute shall
submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives an annual
report on the number of threats to State and local judiciary members
and court staff, with breakdown of types of threats and level of
seriousness.
Passed the Senate June 12, 2024.
Attest:
Secretary.
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3984
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the State Justice Institute Act of 1984 to authorize the State
Justice Institute to provide awards to certain organizations to
establish a State judicial threat intelligence and resource center.