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S5426FEDERALIN_COMMITTEE

New Federal Plan to Improve Drug Detection Technology

Original title: DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024

December 4, 2024

Companion · HR 8663same policy, House version

Public Safety Drug Policy Homeland Security Technology Artificial Intelligence

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Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently IN_COMMITTEE. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

If passed, this bill would change how federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies acquire and use drug-detection equipment by mandating the development of AI-driven tools capable of identifying new or complex synthetic drug mixtures.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies

These agencies will be the primary users of the new detection equipment and reference libraries developed under this act.

Science and Technology Directorate

The Directorate is assigned new research, development, and testing responsibilities regarding drug detection technology.

What changed

Current stage: IN_COMMITTEE.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Background

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 established the Department of Homeland Security and its various directorates, including the Science and Technology Directorate. context
The Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (NIST AI 100-1) is a voluntary guidance document developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to help organizations manage risks associated with AI systems. context

Summary

This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to research and develop advanced technology for law enforcement to better detect and identify dangerous drugs like fentanyl and xylazine. It focuses on creating portable, high-precision tools that can identify substances even when they are mixed with other materials or present in very low concentrations.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What specific drugs does this bill target?

The bill specifically mentions fentanyl and xylazine, but also includes provisions for identifying new psychoactive substances not yet in existing reference libraries.

Who will use the technology developed under this bill?

The equipment is intended for use by Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.

Does this bill change existing agency authority?

No, the bill includes a stating that it does not limit the authority of agencies currently managing or overseeing drug equipment and reference libraries.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Integration of AI in Drug Enforcement

The bill marks a formal shift toward integrating AI and machine learning into standard field-testing equipment for law enforcement.

Science and Technology Directorate Drug Enforcement Administration

Connected Entities

personOssoff“Co-sponsored the bill”Map →

dateDecember 4, 2024“Date of introduction”Map →

dollar_amount5002“Section number of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act”Map →

date2020“Year of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act”Map →

dollar_amount5426“Bill number”Map →

date2002“Year of the Homeland Security Act”Map →

personCornyn“Introduced the bill”Map →

organizationDrug Enforcement Administration“Involved in drug equipment and reference libraries”Map →

dollar_amount2024“Year in the bill title”Map →

organizationDepartment of Homeland Security“Responsible for developing detection capacity”Map →

bill_numberS. 5426“Bill number”Map →

dollar_amount9401“Section number of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act”Map →

personLankford“Co-sponsored the bill”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy15
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level

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