H.R. 1508: DHS Special Events Program and Support Act

This bill, known as the DHS Special Events Program and Support Act, aims to enhance security measures for specific public events in the United States. Below are the key components of the bill:

Creation of a Special Events Program

The bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a program that will:

• Assess the threat, vulnerability, and potential consequences of terrorism or other security threats at certain special events.

Requirements of the Program

The program is designed to address the following aspects:

• It will apply to special events that are pre-planned but not officially designated as National Special Security Events.
• Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials can voluntarily request a special event rating, which could lead to federal support for security and situational awareness during the event.
• The assessment process will be risk-based, taking into account factors such as expected attendance, the size of the event, credible threats, and other relevant homeland security information.
• There will be a process for expedited consideration of requests and the possibility to reassess event ratings as needed.

Support for Special Events

Under the bill, the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to provide security and situational awareness support at the request of appropriate officials for the protection of special events.

Reporting Requirements

The Secretary must submit annual reports to relevant congressional committees regarding:

• The total number of special events that were submitted to the program in the previous year and their ratings.
• The number of events that received Federal support and a summary of that support.
• Requests for reassessment of event ratings along with details about the events in question.

Periodic Assessments

Additionally, every five years after the initial report, the Secretary must assess the program's effectiveness and report to Congress.

Research and Development Component

The bill also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct research and development related to security for mass gatherings, focusing on enhancing situational awareness. This research must respect constitutional, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties protections.

Clerical Amendments

A clerical amendment will update the table of contents in the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to include the new section regarding the special events program.

Relevant Companies

None found.