As reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on September 19, 2013
S. 357 would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish and promote a national communications network to issue alerts (that would be known as “blue alerts”) when a law enforcement officer is killed or seriously injured. Under the bill’s provisions, DOJ would develop guidelines and protocols for state and local governments that participate in the program and would provide assistance as necessary to those participants.
Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that it would cost about $1 million annually from appropriated funds for DOJ to establish and administer the new program. Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
S. 357 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
On May 9, 2013, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 180, the National Blue Alert Act of 2013, as ordered reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary on May 7, 2013. The two pieces of legislation are identical, as are the cost estimates.
