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119-hr-9887119th Congress

Swatting Registry Best Practices Act

Sponsored By: Representative Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would direct the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to issue guidance within one year on creating and running voluntary swatting registries and response protocols. The guidance would cover who can opt in, what data is collected, how 9-1-1 and dispatchers should verify calls, privacy and civil rights protections, training, and options for technical help and funding.

Show full summary
  • Households and people at elevated risk: Creates an opt-in way for residents who face higher risk of swatting to register an address and contact methods so dispatchers can attempt verification before sending an armed response.
  • 9-1-1 systems and first responders: Recommends automated dispatch flags, optional verification tools like pre-agreed code words, training for call-takers and officers, staged lower-escalation tactics, and requirements for incident documentation and after-action review.
  • State, Tribal, territorial, and local agencies plus privacy advocates: Requires data minimization, encryption, role-based access, audit logs, renewal and deletion procedures, and accessible sign-up options. It also calls for metrics on safety, use-of-force, property damage, and litigation exposure, and authorizes technical assistance subject to appropriations and use of existing Department of Justice grant programs to support implementation.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Federal guidance on swatting registries

If enacted, the Attorney General would issue best-practice guidance within 1 year on voluntary swatting registries. The guidance would define key terms like "swatting" and require consultations with law enforcement, 9-1-1 experts, privacy, disability, victim, and vendor stakeholders. It would cover program design, data minimization, 9-1-1 integration, officer training, privacy and civil-rights protections, data governance, and metrics. The guidance would be posted on the Justice Department website and could be updated over time.

DOJ technical help and grants

If enacted, the Attorney General would be authorized, subject to available appropriations, to provide technical assistance to jurisdictions that choose to set up voluntary swatting registries. The Attorney General would be required, to the maximum extent practicable, to use existing DOJ grant and assistance programs to share the guidance and help integrate registries with 9-1-1 and dispatch systems. The bill does not appropriate specific funds.

Limits: no federal registry or mandates

If enacted, the bill would say the federal government could not create or maintain a national swatting registry. It would also make clear that no State, Tribal, territorial, or local government would be required to establish a registry. The bill would preserve officer discretion by stating that responding officers could still take actions reasonably necessary to protect life, even if that departs from registry protocols. Those limits would protect privacy and local control. They could also leave some at‑risk households without a registry or uniform protection.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]

VA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Lee, Laurel M. [R-FL-15]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 7/22/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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