Court Security Improvement Act of 2007

To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect judges, prosecutors, witnesses, victims, and their family members, and for other purposes.

1/7/2008--Public Law. Court Security Improvement Act of 2007 - Title I: Judicial Security Improvements and Funding - (Sec 101) Amends the federal judicial code to require the Director of the U.S. Marshals Service to consult with the Judicial Conference of the United States (Judicial Conference) on a continuing basis regarding the security requirements for the U.S. judicial branch.

(Sec. 102) Authorizes the U.S. Marshals Service to provide for the security of the U.S. Tax Court.

(Sec. 103) Authorizes additional amounts in FY2007-FY2011 for:
(1) hiring deputy U.S. Marshals to provide security for judicial officers and U.S. attorneys; and
(2) the Office of Protective Intelligence to provide secure computer systems.

(Sec. 104) Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to extend through 2011 the authority of the Judicial Conference to redact certain personal information of judges from financial disclosure reports. Title II: Criminal Law Enhancements to Protect Judges, Family Members, and Witnesses -
(Sec. 201) Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the filing (or attempts or conspiracies to file) in any public record any false lien or encumbrance against the real or personal property of any U.S. officer or employee on account of the performance of that officer's or employee's official duties, knowing that such lien or encumbrance is false. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to 10 years for violations.

(Sec. 202) Prohibits the public disclosure of restricted personal information about a federal officer or employee, witness, or juror (or immediate family members) with the intent to threaten or cause harm to such individuals. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to five years for violations.

(Sec. 203) Prohibits the possession of dangerous weapons in federal court facilities.
(Sec. 204) Modifies venue requirements for prosecutions for retaliation against a witness to include the district in which the official proceeding or criminal conduct occurred.
(Sec. 205) Increases maximum prison terms for:
(1) tampering with, or retaliating against, a witness, victim, or informant;
(2) voluntary and involuntary manslaughter; and
(3) assault against a federal judge, law enforcement officer, or immediate family members of such officials.

(Sec. 209) Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review its sentencing guidelines relating to threats against a federal official carried out over the Internet.
Title III: Protecting State and Local Judges and Related Grant Programs -
(Sec. 301) Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to include as a required use of community-based justice grants the creation and expansion of state, local, or Indian tribe witness protection programs. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012.

(Sec. 302) Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to make state courts eligible for grants to improve court security (correctional options grants) and for armor vests.
(Sec. 303) Directs the Attorney General to make grants to enable the highest court in each state to establish and maintain a threat assessment database to:
(1) analyze trends and patterns in domestic terrorism and crime;
(2) project the probabilities that specific acts of domestic terrorism or crime will occur; and
(3) develop measures and procedures to reduce such probabilities. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2011.
Title IV: Law Enforcement Officers -
(Sec. 401) Requires the Attorney General to report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on the security of assistant U.S. attorneys and other federal attorneys arising from the prosecution of terrorists and other violent criminals. Requires such report to include information on the number and nature of threats and assaults against such attorneys, security measures in place to protect such attorneys, programs available to such attorneys for personal security training, secure parking spaces for such attorneys, and the role of the U.S. Marshals Service in protecting such attorneys.
Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions -
(Sec. 501) Amends the federal judicial code to:
(1) authorize through FY2010 the U.S. Sentencing Commission to enter into multyear procurement contracts and to make advance, partial, progress, or other payments for property or services to the same extent as executive agencies;
(2) extend certain life insurance benefits to magistrate judges; and
(3) expand the powers of judges who have retired from active service (senior judges) to include all powers of a sitting judge, including participation in the appointment of court officers and selection of magistrates, rulemaking, governance, and administrative matters.

(Sec. 505) Amends the federal criminal code to require the Bureau of Prisons to notify a prisoner released to supervised release, verbally and in writing, of such prisoner's obligation to pay any fines imposed for the offense committed and the consequences of failure to pay.
(Sec. 506) Requires the Attorney General to study and report to Congress on whether general public access to state and local records imperils the safety of the federal judiciary.
(Sec. 507) Authorizes appropriations for Fugitive Apprehension Task Forces for FY2008-FY2012.
(Sec. 508) Authorizes states, for purposes of identification requirements under the REAL ID Act of 2005, to include in a driver's license or other identification card issued to federal judges and justices of the U.S. Supreme Court the address of the courthouse of such judges or justices in lieu of residence addresses.

(Sec. 509) Amends the federal judicial code to:
(1) decrease the required number of judges for the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals from 12 to 11; and
(2) increase the required number of such judges for the Ninth Circuit from 28 to 29.

(Sec. 510) Requires the Director of the National Institute of Justice to conduct a study of the collateral consequences of convictions for criminal offenses in all states, the District of Columbia, and each U.S. territory. Defines "collateral consequences" as sanctions against an individual or disqualifications resulting from a felony or misdemeanor conviction that were not part of the original judgment of the sentencing court.

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Sponsor

• Rep. John Conyers [D, MI-14]
• and 5 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Louis Gohmert [R, TX-1]
  • Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]
  • Rep. Robert Scott [D, VA-3]
  • Rep. Lamar Smith [R, TX-21]
  • Rep. Anthony Weiner [D, NY-9]
  close

Committees

• House Judiciary
• 4 more
  • Senate Judiciary
  • House Judiciary
  • House Ways and Means
  • House Oversight and Government Reform
  close

Amendments

This bill has 1 amendments. See All AmendmentsHide All Amendments

Amendments to H.R.660

Number	Status	Purpose
S.Amdt.3868	Pass	In the nature of a substitute.

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		This Bill Has Become Law
January 24, 2007		July 10, 2007		December 17, 2007		January 07, 2008		January 07, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Enacted on Jan 07, 2008. Became Public Law No: 110-177.
• Signed on Jan 07, 2008.
• Dec 27, 2007. Presented to President.
• Dec 19, 2007: Pursuant to the provisions of S. Con. Res. 62, enrollment corrections on H.R. 660 have been made.
• Dec 19, 2007: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
• Dec 19, 2007: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 660.
• Dec 19, 2007: Mr. Conyers moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
• Dec 19, 2007. Cleared for White House.
• Dec 17, 2007. Cleared for White House.
• Dec 17, 2007: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
• Dec 17, 2007: Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
• Passed by Unanimous Consent in the Senate on Dec 17, 2007. Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
• Dec 17, 2007: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
• Aug 03, 2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
• Jul 11, 2007: Received in the Senate.
• Passed by voice vote in the House on Jul 10, 2007. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
• Jul 10, 2007: Considered under suspension of the rules.
• Jul 10, 2007: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 660.
• Jul 10, 2007: Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
• Jul 10, 2007: Committee on Oversight and Government discharged.
• Jul 10, 2007: Committee on Ways and Means discharged.
• Added to calendar on Jul 10, 2007: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 134..
• Jul 10, 2007: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 110-218, Part I.
• Added to calendar on Jun 13, 2007: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote..
• Jun 13, 2007: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
• Jun 07, 2007: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
• Jun 07, 2007: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
• May 03, 2007: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
• Mar 01, 2007: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
• Jan 24, 2007: Referred to House Ways and Means
• Introduced on Jan 24, 2007.
• Jan 24, 2007: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
• Jan 24, 2007: Referred to House Judiciary
• Jan 24, 2007: Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform

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Related Bills:

• S.Con.Res.62
• S.378

Related Issue Areas:

• Administrative procedure
• Clothing
• Counterterrorism
• Courthouses
• 79 more
• Criminal justice information
• Driver licenses
• Equipment and supplies
• Executive departments
• Federal employees
• Federal officials
• Fugitives from justice
• Government information
• Governmental investigations
• Identification devices
• Internet
• Prisoners
• Protection of officials
• Public records
• Sentences (Criminal procedure)
• Sentencing guidelines
• State and local government
• Supreme Court justices
• Telecommunication
• Terrorism
• U.S. Sentencing Commission
• Law
• Assault
• Authorization
• Bankruptcy courts
• Budgets
• Civil liberties
• Computer security measures
• Conflict of interests
• Congress
• Congressional reporting requirements
• Courts
• Criminal justice
• Criminal procedure
• Department of Justice
• District courts
• Families
• Federal aid to law enforcement
• Finance
• Financial disclosure
• Fines (Penalties)
• Firearms
• Fraud
• Government attorneys
• Government employees
• Government employees' life insurance
• Government ethics
• Government procurement
• Guam
• Homicide
• Informers
• Judges
• Judicial ethics
• Judicial officers
• Juries
• Law enforcement officers
• Liens
• Magistrates
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Obstruction of justice
• Office of Government Ethics
• Parking facilities
• Prosecution
• Public contracts
• Public prosecutors
• Recruiting of employees
• Right of privacy
• Security measures
• State courts
• Sunset legislation
• Tax courts
• Taxation
• Technology
• Transportation
• Victims of crimes
• Violence
• Virgin Islands
• Weapons
• Witnesses

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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In the News

December 20, 2007 House Passes Conyers' Landmark Bill to Make Judges Safe

HR 660 passed the House by voice vote and it is now headed to the President's desk for signature. Conyers made the following remarks today on the House ...

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Source: All American Patriots (press release), Sweden

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December 19, 2007 US Senate Votes to Add 29th Judgeship to Ninth Circuit

The Senate adopted the measure Monday night when it voted unanimously to pass HR 660, also known as the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007, ...

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Source: Metropolitan News-Enterprise, CA

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Blog Coverage

November 20, 2008 The Recession-Proof Accountant : CPA Trendlines

Velazquez has supported a different bill HR 660, Rep Gonzalez has proposed a companion bill to Senator Snowe’s bill. If you look at the HR Committee on Small Business, 7 Ways to stimulate the economy by updating the Internal Revenue ...

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Source: CPA Trendlines

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August 23, 2008 votesmart.org part:2

date, bill title, vote, outcome. 02/26/2008, prohibiting the funds in s 1200 from being used for abortions s amdt 3896, nv, amendment adopted - senate (52 - 42). 10/18/2007, prohibiting funds for groups that perform abortions ...

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Source: facecomics

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June 29, 2008 Case o' The Week: Ask, "WWWD?" (What Would Warren Do?) -- Chapman ...

See “Court Security Improvement Act of 2007,” PL 110-177, 2008 HR 660 (2007). While Chapman analyzed the old statute, nothing in the amended ‘08 version seems to affect the decision’s holding that a misdemeanor § 111 offense requires

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Source: Ninth Circuit Blog

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