SEARCH Midyear Meeting Federal Legislative Briefing Robert R. Belair Oldaker, Biden & Belair (202) January 23, 2008 San Francisco, CA

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  On July 26, 2007, the House passed the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) appropriations bill (H.R. 3093)  On October 16 th, the Senate passed its CJS appropriations bill (S. 1745)  On December 18 th, the Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (H.R. 2764) (the “Omnibus”) which included the CJS appropriation

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  On December 26 th, the President signed the Omnibus into law  Many Justice Assistance programs saw increases in the House and Senate CJS bills but significant decreases in the Omnibus

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Law Enforcement Assistance:  In ’06 and ’07: $1.237 billion (the FY ’07 CJS appropriation was carried in a Continuing Resolution and, thus, with a few exceptions, was identical to the FY ’06 CJS appropriation)  House ’08: $1.315 billion  Senate ’08: $1.430 billion  Omnibus ‘08: $1.008 billion

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Byrne Block Grant Funding:  In ’06 and ’07: $520 million  House ’08: $600 million  Senate ’08: $660 million  Omnibus ‘08:$170 million

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Byrne Discretionary:  In ’06 and ’07: $191.7 million  House ’08: $124.5 million  Senate ’08: $190 million  Omnibus ‘08:$187.5 million  COPS:  In ’06 and ’07: $542 million  House ’08: $725 million  Senate ’08: $660 million  Omnibus ’08: $587.2 million

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Law Enforcement Technology and Interoperability (funding taken from the $587.2 million for COPS):  In ’06 and ’07: $139.9 million  House ’08:$128 million  Senate ’08:$110 million  Omnibus ’08:$205.3 million

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  BJS:  In ’06 and ’07: $35 million  House ’08:$45million  Senate ’08:$10 million  Omnibus ’08:$34.7 million  NIJ:  In ’06 and ’07:$55 million  House ’08:$60 million  Senate ’08:$60 million  Omnibus ’08:$37 million (additional funding in other accounts)

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Global:  In ’06 and ’07: $10 million  House ’08:$0.00  Senate ’08:$0.00  Omnibus ’08:$0.00  NCHIP:  In ’06 and ’07:$10 million  House ’08:$12 million (from COPS)  Senate ’08:$5 million (from COPS)  Omnibus ’08:$9.4 million (from COPS)

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  CITA:  In ’06 and ’07:$28.7 million  House ’08:$0.00  Senate ’08:$0.00  Omnibus ’08:$0.00

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Weed and Seed:  In ’06 and ’07: $50 million  House ’08:$49.6 million (from COPS)  Senate ’08:$50 million  Omnibus ’08:$32.1 million  DNA Backlog:  In ’06 and ’07:$108.5 million  House ’08:$175 million  Senate ’08:$169 million  Omnibus ’08:$147.3 million (from COPS)

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  RISS:  In ’06 and ’07: $40.2 million  House ’08:$50 million  Senate ’08:$60 million  Omnibus ’08:$40 million

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Missing Children:  In ’06 and ’07: $38.5 million  House ’08:$61.4 million  Senate ’08:$65 million  Omnibus ’08:$50 million  Reentry:  In ’06 and ’07:$5 million  House ’08:$15 million  Senate ’08:$10 million  Omnibus ’08:$11.7 million (from COPS)

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Sex Offender Programs:  In ’06 and ’07: $0.00  House ’08:$10 million  Senate ’08:$2 million  Omnibus ’08: $15 million (from COPS)  Sex Offender Management:$4.1 million  Sex Offender Registry:$850 thousand

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Gang Gun Crime Reduction:  In ’06 and ’07:$15 million  House ’08:$80 million (from COPS)  Senate ’08:$10 million  Omnibus ’08:$20 million (from COPS) (additional monies in OJJDP account)  (Omnibus requires a special report by April 2008 on gangs in suburban areas)

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Methamphetamine Enforcement:  In ’06 and ’07:$70 million  House ’08:$85 million  Senate ’08:$80 million  Omnibus ’08:$61 million  Violence Against Women Act (VAWA):  In ’06 and ’07:$382.5 million  House ’08:$430 million  Senate ’08:$400 million  Omnibus ’08:$400 million

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  SEARCH:  In ‘06/’07: $2 million (’06 earmark; ’07 CR)  House ’08:Provided no earmark funding for any national programs, including SEARCH  Senate ’08: $500,000 for the National Technical Assistance and Training Program; $1 million for SEARCH to “support small to medium sized law enforcement agencies and help integrate information and criminal justice records with national databases and to provide technical support”

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Omnibus ’08:  No earmark funding for any national programs  Includes SEARCH endorsement language, “SEARCH National Technical Assistance and Training Program – the Appropriations Committees support efforts to assist States in the development and use of information systems to accelerate the automation of fingerprint identification processes and criminal justice data which are compatible with the FBI Automated Fingerprint Identification System”

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  Byrne Competitive Grant is a new $16 million competitive grant program. ($70 million competitive grant program is established within OJJDP for youth mentoring grants, which it is expected will be used for Boys and Girls Clubs; DARE; LRE: and other national juvenile justice earmark programs)

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  OJP has 60 days to provide Congress with a “Scope and Spend Plan” for Byrne competitive program  “It is expected that national programs that have received funding under the Byrne discretionary program will be eligible for funding under this competitive grant program”

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Criminal Justice Funding  FBI Annual Name Check Report (60 days after end of fiscal year)  Number of name checks  Average time to process  Progress in minimizing delays  Progress in automating name checks

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Homeland Security Funding  Infrastructure Protection and Information Security:  ’07: $533.9 million  House ’08:$532.8 million  Senate ’08:$527.1 million  Omnibus ’08:$654.7 million  Terrorism Prevention Grants:  ’07:$375 million  House ’08:$400 million  Senate ’08: $375 million  Omnibus ’08: $442.5 million

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Homeland Security Funding  State Homeland Security Grant Program:  ’07:$525 million  House ’08:$550 million  Senate ’08: $0.00  Omnibus ’08: $950 million (25 percent earmarked for Terrorism Prevention Program)

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Homeland Security Funding  High Threat Urban Area Grants:  ’07: $770 million  House ’08:$800 million  Senate ’08:$820 million  Omnibus ’08:$820 million (25 percent earmarked for Terrorism Prevention Program)  Firefighter Grants:  ’07:$662 million  House ’08:$805 million  Senate ’08: $705 million  Omnibus ’08: $750 million

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Homeland Security Funding  US VISIT:  ’07: $362.5 million  House ’08:$462 million  Senate ’08:$362 million  Omnibus ’08:$475 million  TSA Screening:  ’07:$3.768 billion  House ’08:$4.218 billion  Senate ’08: $4.074 billion  Omnibus ’08: $3.768 billion

Robert R. Belair FY ’08 Homeland Security Funding  REAL ID State Grants:  ’07: $0.00  House ’08:$50 million  Senate ’08:$0.00  Omnibus ’08:$50 million

Robert R. Belair NICS Improvement Act  Jan. 8, 2008: President signs NICS Improvement Act, H.R  Ends an almost ten year effort to improve the reporting of relevant information to NICS including, in particular, mental health information

Robert R. Belair NICS Improvement Act  States must provide the AG with a “reasonable estimate” of the number of disqualifying records in the state  Three years after enactment, states may obtain a waiver of the 10 percent CITA match if they are at 90 percent reporting of all NICS relevant records  Also at three years after enactment, states may lose up to 3 percent of a state’s justice assistance funding if the state is below a 50 percent reporting threshold

Robert R. Belair NICS Improvement Act  At five years, states may lose 4 percent of funding if not at a 70 percent reporting level  At ten years, states must lose 5 percent of their justice assistance funding if they are not at a 90 percent reporting level. However, DOJ may waive all or part of the penalty for states making a “reasonable effort” to comply

Robert R. Belair NICS Improvement Act  The Act includes a 20 year “look-back” period  The Act establishes a law enforcement grant program of $125 million in ’09; $250 million in each of FY’10 and ’11; and $125 million in each of FY ’12 and ’13  The Act also creates a state court grant program with $62.5 million in FY ’09; $125 million in each of FY ’10 and ’11; and $62.5 million in each of FY ’12 and ’13

Robert R. Belair NICS Improvement Act  BJS is authorized to conduct a study of NICS and submit an annual report on state estimates, grants and best practices  States must establish a “Relief from Disabilities” program to restore Second Amendment rights to persons disqualified on mental health grounds if they meet criteria in the Act  DOJ must work with law enforcement and mental health to establish privacy recommendations

Robert R. Belair NICS Improvement Act  SEARCH Membership Group adopted several Resolutions and SEARCH members and staff worked closely with Congress to improve the final bill  Removed or softened congressional findings critical of state repositories  Changed look-back period from 30 years to 20 years  Reduced penalties to smaller percentages

Robert R. Belair NICS Improvement Act  Lengthened time period for compliance to ten years  Lowered required reporting levels  Standard for judging reporting success is based on all records, not separate categories of records  Increased amount of grant funding  Tied mental health reporting obligations to adjudications  Identified BJS as key DOJ agency  Emphasized protecting privacy of NICS subjects

Robert R. Belair Criminal Justice Legislation in 2007  Court Security Improvement Act of 2007  Makes state courts eligible for grants to improve security  High court in each state is eligible for grants to establish and maintain a threat assessment database  Gun control legislation  Immigration and employment eligibility legislation  Background check legislation

Robert R. Belair Criminal Justice Legislation in 2007  Identity theft legislation  Spyware and computer security legislation  Sex offender legislation  Gang violence legislation

Robert R. Belair Criminal Justice Legislation and Congressional Activity in 2008  DOJ Reauthorization Act  FBI oversight  Biometrics  Next generation IAFIS  Rap back  Anti-gang legislation  Reentry legislation  Comprehensive criminal justice reform legislation

Robert R. Belair Criminal Justice Legislation and Congressional Activity in 2008  In 2008 Congress not expected to increase Justice Assistance appropriation for FY ’09  In spring ’08 Congress may move a Supplemental to restore some Byrne block grant funding  Congress’ approach to earmarks for FY ’09, and particularly for national earmarks, still uncertain

Robert R. Belair Criminal Justice Legislation and Congressional Activity in  Depending upon outcome of November ’08 elections, the 111 th Congress may address:  Restoring Justice Assistance funding levels  Reconciling DOJ and DHS appropriations overlap  OJP organizational reform  Harmonizing background checking laws and inconsistent and anomalous laws regarding access to, and use of, CHRI  Biometrics and national identification programs