TSA Extends Security Training Rule Deadlines

Today the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published a final rule in the Federal Register (85 FR 25315-25317) delaying the effective date of the final rule entitled, “Security Training for Surface Transportation Employees” that was published on April 1^st, 2020. TSA is taking this action because it has determined that covered entities may have difficulties complying with the published deadlines because of actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effective date of the earlier rule is changed from June 22^nd, 2020 to September 21^st, 2020. As a result of this change the following deadlines within the earlier rule are also being changed. They include:

• Deadline for notifying TSA of applicability determination (1570.105) – from July 22^nd, 2020 to October 21^st, 2020;

• Deadline for providing security coordinator information (49 CFR 1570.201) – from July 29th, 2020 to October 28^th, 2020; and

• Deadline for submission of security training program to TSA for approval (1570.109(b)) – September 20^th, 2020 to December 21^st, 2020.

Because of the nature of the changes made by this new final rule and the imminent nature of the impending deadlines, TSA determined that the normal rule making processes, including OMB review and the publish/public comment process, were not required.