# 119-hr-9887: Swatting Registry Best Practices Act

119-hr-9887, Swatting Registry Best Practices Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11] (D-VA); status introduced (as of 2026-08-08).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9887
- As of: 2026-08-08
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-9887
- Congress: 119
- Title: Swatting Registry Best Practices Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-07-22
- Sponsor: Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11] (D-VA)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-08

## 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. - 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.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Lee, Laurel M. [R-FL-15] (R-FL), 2026-07-22T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Federal guidance on swatting registries: benefit, medium. 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…
- DOJ technical help and grants: benefit, low. 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 a…
- Limits: no federal registry or mandates: mixed, low. 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 res…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3077: Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026
- 119-hr-1229: United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-9887 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9887)

## Related
- [119-hr-3077: Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3077)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7481)
- [119-hr-1229: United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1229)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9887 (as of 2026-08-08).