Sen. Moran Joins Colleagues in Reintroducing Legislation to Protect State & Local Judges

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) reintroduced the Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act, which would establish a State Judicial Threat Intelligence and Resource Center to provide technical assistance, training and threat monitoring for state and local judges and court personnel. This legislation was originally introduced last Congress and unanimously passed the Senate.

"Judges perform a critical community service at every level of our justice system," said Sen. Moran. "Regardless of how a judge rules on a case, any form of harassment or intimidation is unacceptable, and this legislation would provide needed resources and support to local law enforcement tasked with protecting judges and courthouses."

"Public servants should be able to do their jobs free from threats to themselves or their families - and that includes our state and local judges," said Sen. Coons. "Our nation has seen increasing political violence that has too often ended in tragedy - threatening those just trying to serve their country and threatening our democratic system built on respect for the rule of law. I'm proud this bipartisan bill unanimously passed the Senate last year, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill to the president's desk."

"With threats against judges and their families increasing at an alarming rate, more must be done to protect them," said Sen. Cornyn. "This legislation would establish a much-needed resource center to identify and respond to bad actors, ensuring our nation's courts and the Americans who work in them every day are safe."

U.S. Representatives Michael McCaul (TX-10) and Lucy McBath (GA-06) introduced companion legislation in the House.

The Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act would create a State Judicial Threat Intelligence and Resource Center to:

• Provide technical assistance to state and local judges and court personnel around judicial security.
• Provide physical security assessments for courts, homes and other facilities where judicial officers and staff conduct court-related business.
• Conduct research to identify, examine and advance best practices around judicial security.
• Be housed within the existing State Justice Institute, a private nonprofit and nonpartisan corporation established by Congress in 1984.

The legislation is supported by the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ), Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA), Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeal (CCJSCA), National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers (NAPCO), National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), National Center for State Courts (NCSC), American Judges Association (AJA), National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) and National Center for State Courts (NCSC).

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