Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015
Latest action. Referred to the subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015
Amends the federal criminal code to require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to issue oleoresin capsicum spray to: (1) any Bureau officer or employee employed in a prison that is not a minimum or low security prison who may respond to an emergency situation in such prison; and (2) such additional prison officers and employees as the Director deems appropriate, subject to specified requirements.
Requires any such officer or employee to complete a training course before being issued such spray and annual training on the use of such spray.
Authorizes Bureau officers and employees issued such spray to use it to reduce acts of violence committed by prisoners and prison visitors against themselves, other prisoners and visitors, and Bureau officers and employees.
Directs the Comptroller General, not later than three years after the date on which the Director begins to issue oleoresin capsicum spray to Bureau officers and employees, to submit to Congress a report that includes: (1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of issuing such spray on reducing crime in such prisons and acts of violence committed by prisoners against themselves and others, (2) an evaluation of the advisability of issuing such spray, and (3) recommendations to improve the safety of Bureau officers and employees in prisons.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on January 22, 2015. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on February 19, 2015: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 114th Congress (2015-16), 329 of the 10,233 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 3.2 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
David McKinley (R-WV) introduced it on January 22, 2015, and 24 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 7 Democrats, 17 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on January 22, 2015, 4249 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 4221 days ago, on February 19, 2015.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 114th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2017 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers