DHS Special Events Program and Support Act
H.R. 1508, the DHS Special Events Program and Support Act, would create a new Special Events Program within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assess threat, vulnerability, and consequences of terrorism or other security threats for certain pre-planned events that are not designated as National Special Security Events (NSSE). The program would establish a voluntary process for federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial officials to request a special event rating, guided by a risk-based methodology that considers factors such as attendance by U.S. officials or foreign dignitaries, event size and venue, credible threats, and other relevant homeland security information. It would allow expedited consideration and potential reassessment of ratings, authorize DHS to provide security and situational awareness support upon request, and require annual and periodic assessments of the program. The bill also directs DHS to conduct mass gathering research and technology development related to security and situational awareness, with privacy and civil liberties protections. A clerical amendment would insert the new section 890E into the Homeland Security Act’s table of contents. The act aims to broaden DHS’s role in security planning for a wider set of pre-planned events, outside of formal NSSE designations, and to increase transparency through regular reporting to Congress. It emphasizes voluntary participation by jurisdictions and officials and seeks to balance enhanced security with privacy protections.
Key Points
- 1Creates a DHS Special Events Program within the Homeland Security Act to assess threat, vulnerability, and consequences for certain pre-planned, non-NSSE events.
- 2Establishes a voluntary rating process for events, with a risk-based methodology that considers attendance by U.S. officials or foreign dignitaries, event size/venue, credible threats, and other homeland security information; includes expedited consideration and potential reassessment.
- 3Authorizes DHS to provide security and situational awareness support to appropriate federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial officials upon request.
- 4Requires annual reporting to Congress on: total events submitted and their rating levels; events with DHS coordination or federal security support, plus a summary; and details of rating reassessments, including requester, event details, initial vs. final rating, and justification.
- 5Mandates periodic assessments of the program every five years, to be reported to Congress.
- 6Defines “homeland security information” as per DHS guidelines (section 892) for use in the program’s processes.
- 7Adds a Mass Gathering Research provision requiring DHS to develop technologies and methods for improving security and situational awareness at mass gatherings, with privacy and civil liberties protections.
- 8Includes a clerical amendment inserting Sec. 890E, Special Events Program, into the Homeland Security Act’s table of contents.