HF3541

Purpose

• Clarify and expand the responsibilities of the Division of Capitol Security.
• Update how security, safety planning, and investigations are handled in the Capitol Area.

Key Provisions

• Division responsibilities

  • The Division of Capitol Security must use state employees to provide security and public information services in state-owned and state-leased-to-own buildings in the Capitol Area.
  • The Division must support the orderly conduct of state business and public convenience.

• Temporary emergency support

  • Through July 1, 2026, the Division must provide emergency assistance and security escorts in the Capitol Area when requested by a state constitutional officer.

• New position: Emergency Manager

  • The director must create a permanent “emergency manager” role.
  • Duties include:
  • Overseeing plans and procedures to keep security operations running during emergencies.
  • Developing and delivering tenant training on threats and emergency procedures.
  • Creating and running threat and emergency exercises.

• Staffing and training

  • The director must assign at least one state trooper to the Capitol complex at all times.
  • The director and the troopers must have current training in or recent experience with criminal investigations, witness identification, and report writing.

• Advisory and public input

  • The director, with an advisory committee, must hold at least one annual meeting to discuss:
  • Capitol complex security, emergency planning, and public access.
  • Involvement of Capitol complex tenants, state employees, nongovernmental groups (like lobbyists, vendors, and the media), and the public or public advocacy groups.

• Investigations

  • The Division is the lead agency for investigating alleged criminal offenses that occur in the Capitol Area.
  • Another law enforcement agency may take over an investigation if both the Division director and the other agency’s chief agree in writing.

Changes to Existing Law

• Adds explicit duties for continuous security operations and emergency planning in the Capitol Area.
• Creates and grants authority to an emergency manager position within the Division.
• Establishes a permanent minimum presence of at least one state trooper at the Capitol complex.
• Directs regular training in criminal investigations for the director and troopers.
• Requires annual security and public access discussions with a broad group of stakeholders.
• Designates the Division as the lead investigative agency for crimes in the Capitol Area, with a mechanism to transfer cases to another agency by written agreement.

Implementation Context

• Scope includes state-owned and state-leased buildings in the Capitol Area.
• Emphasizes coordination with tenants, employees, the public, and various non-governmental stakeholders.
• Introduces a temporary window (through July 1, 2026) for emergency response and escorts.

Potential Implications

• Enhanced planning and readiness for emergencies in the Capitol Area.
• More formalized security leadership and ongoing training for those protecting the Capitol.
• Stronger, clearer processes for investigating crimes in the Capitol Area.
• Greater involvement of diverse groups in security planning and public access discussions.

Relevant Terms Capitol Area, Division of Capitol Security, emergency assistance, security escorts, emergency manager, continuity of security operations, threat and emergency exercises, tenant training, Capitol complex, state trooper, criminal investigations, lead agency, advisory committee, Capitol complex tenants, nongovernmental entities, lobbyists, vendors, the media, public access, written agreement, investigations transfer.