Amendment adds the text of H.R. 373, the Good Samaritan Search and Recovery Act, to the end of the bill thus providing for expedited access to Federal lands for volunteer search and rescue groups to assist in recovering the remains of a deceased individual believed to be located on Federal lands.

1. Adds TITLE XVII--GOOD SAMARITAN SEARCH AND RECOVERY at the end of the bill

   Adds a title

   Inserted: TITLE XVII--GOOD SAMARITAN SEARCH AND RECOVERY

   Inserted: SEC. 1701. SHORT TITLE.

   Inserted: This title may be cited as the "Good Samaritan Search and Recovery Act".

   Inserted: SEC. 1702. EXPEDITED ACCESS TO CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND.

   Inserted: (a) Definitions.--In this section:

   Inserted: (1) Eligible.--The term "eligible", with respect to an organization or individual, means that the organization or individual, respectively, is--

   Inserted: (A) acting in a not-for-profit capacity; and

   Inserted: (B) composed entirely of members who, at the time of the good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission, have attained the age of majority under the law of the State where the mission takes place.

   Inserted: (2) Good samaritan search-and-recovery mission.--The term "good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission" means a search conducted by an eligible organization or individual for 1 or more missing individuals believed to be deceased at the time that the search is initiated.

   Inserted: (3) Secretary.--The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, as applicable.

   Inserted: (b) Process.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--Each Secretary shall develop and implement a process to expedite access to Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary for eligible organizations and individuals to request access to Federal land to conduct good Samaritan search-and-recovery missions.

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   Inserted: (2) Inclusions.--The process developed and implemented under this subsection shall include provisions to clarify that--

   Inserted: (A) an eligible organization or individual granted access under this section--

   Inserted: (i) shall be acting for private purposes; and

   Inserted: (ii) shall not be considered to be a Federal volunteer;

   Inserted: (B) an eligible organization or individual conducting a good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission under this section shall not be considered to be a volunteer under section 102301(c) of title 54, United States Code;

   Inserted: (C) chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code (commonly known as the "Federal Tort Claims Act"), shall not apply to an eligible organization or individual carrying out a privately requested good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission under this section; and

   Inserted: (D) an eligible organization or entity who conducts a good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission under this section shall serve without pay from the Federal Government for such service.

   Inserted: (c) Release of Federal Government From Liability.--The Secretary shall not require an eligible organization or individual to have liability insurance as a condition of accessing Federal land under this section, if the eligible organization or individual--

   Inserted: (1) acknowledges and consents, in writing, to the provisions described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of subsection (b)(2); and

   Inserted: (2) signs a waiver releasing the Federal Government from all liability relating to the access granted under this section and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the United States from any claims or lawsuits arising from any conduct by the eligible organization or individual on Federal land.

   Inserted: (d) Approval and Denial of Requests.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--The Secretary shall notify an eligible organization or individual of the approval or denial of a request by the eligible organization or individual to carry out a good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission under this section by not later than 48 hours after the request is made.

   Inserted: (2) Denials.--If the Secretary denies a request from an eligible organization or individual to carry out a good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission under this section, the Secretary shall notify the eligible organization or individual of--

   Inserted: (A) the reason for the denial of the request; and

   Inserted: (B) any actions that the eligible organization or individual can take to meet the requirements for the request to be approved.

   Inserted: (e) Partnerships.--Each Secretary shall develop search-and-recovery-focused partnerships with search-and-recovery organizations--

   Inserted: (1) to coordinate good Samaritan search-and-recovery missions on Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary; and

   Inserted: (2) to expedite and accelerate good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission efforts for missing individuals on Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary.

   Inserted: (f) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall submit to Congress a joint report describing--

   Inserted: (1) plans to develop partnerships described in subsection (e)(1); and

   Inserted: (2) efforts carried out to expedite and accelerate good Samaritan search-and-recovery mission efforts for missing individuals on Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of each Secretary pursuant to subsection (e)(2).

   Original wording

   At the end of the bill, add the following:

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed