Peace Officer Standards and Training Agency Information Access Clarification Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5211
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Law
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-08: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-19T15:54:35Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation aims to permit state-level peace officer standards and training agencies to access federal criminal history records maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for official purposes related to law enforcement officer certification and oversight.
Key Provisions
- Amends section 534 of title 28, United States Code, to explicitly authorize the exchange of criminal records with peace officer standards and training agencies.
- Defines a "peace officer standards and training agency" as a state agency with legal authority to establish standards for hiring, training, ethical conduct, and retention of law enforcement officers via certification or similar processes.
- Expands the definition of "State" to include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and other U.S. territories.
- Directs the Attorney General to update relevant federal regulations within 180 days of enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Prior language in 28 U.S.C. § 534(a)(4) allowed record exchanges with states generally; this bill adds specific reference to peace officer standards and training agencies to clarify their eligibility.
- Introduces new statutory definitions that were not previously included in this section, ensuring uniform interpretation across federal and state entities.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Enables state agencies to directly access FBI records for screening and certifying law enforcement personnel, potentially streamlining background checks.
- Citizens: May improve the vetting process for individuals seeking law enforcement roles by providing more complete criminal history data, though access remains limited to official use.
- International relations: No direct effects, as the changes focus on domestic federal-state information sharing.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State peace officer standards and training agencies responsible for law enforcement oversight.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice, which manage record access and must issue updated regulations.
- State governments and their law enforcement agencies involved in officer hiring and training.
- Law enforcement officers subject to certification processes.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill reinforces federal authority over criminal record databases while expanding state access without altering core privacy protections in existing law.
- It addresses potential ambiguity in prior statutes, reducing legal uncertainty around information sharing between federal and state entities.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-08: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-09-08: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-08: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Peace Officer Standards and Training Agency Information Access Clarification Act — issued 2025-09-08 — PDF (3 pages)