S. 645: Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act of 2023: A bill to require the Attorney General to propose a program for making treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder available to public safety officers, and for other purposes. Passed Senate 3/2/23
Bills of interest
H.J.Res. 44: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to “Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached ‘Stabilizing Braces.'" Passed House June 13. Failed in Senate 49-50.
H.R. 354: LEOSA Reform Act: To amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act and provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.
S. 1569: Back the Blue Act of 2023:Includes creating federal crime of assault or murder of law enforcement officer. No action on bill as of 5/20/23
H.R. 335: Fentanyl Penalties: To reduce the threshold for mandatory minimum penalties for fentanyl-related offenses under the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act, and for other purposes.
HR1401: End Fentanyl Act and S. 206: End Fentanyl Act: requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to review and update, as necessary, manuals and policies related to inspections at ports of entry to ensure the uniformity of inspection practices to effectively detect illegal activity along the border, such as the smuggling of drugs and humans. S. 206 passed Senate 6/22/23.
H.R. 1076: Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act: To require the Comptroller General of the United States to carry out a study on the trafficking into the United States of synthetic drugs, and related illicit finance, and for other purposes. Reported by Committee to full House 2/28/23.
H.R. 2494: Police Act of 2023: This bill makes assaulting a law enforcement officer a deportable offense. Passed House 5/17/23.
S. 412: SHIELD Act of 2023: Provides is it unlawful to knowingly distribute private intimate visual depictions with reckless disregard for the individual's lack of consent to the distribution, and for other purposes. Reported by Committee to full Senate 5/11/23.
S. 1199: STOP CSAM Act of 2023: To combat the sexual exploitation of children by supporting victims and promoting accountability and transparency by the tech industry. Ordered reported by Senate Judiciary 5/111/23.
H.R. 2: Secure the Border Act of 2023:Addresses issues regarding immigration and border security, including by imposing limits to asylum eligibility. Requires the DHS to resume activities to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border; prohibits DHS from processing the entry of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) arriving between ports of entry; limits asylum eligibility to non-U.S. nationals who arrive in the United States at a port of entry; expands the types of crimes that may make an individual ineligible for asylum, authorizes DHS to suspend the introduction of certain non-U.S. nationals at an international border if DHS determines that the suspension is necessary to achieve operational control of that border; prohibits states from imposing licensing requirements on immigration detention facilities used to detain minors; imposes additional penalties for overstaying a visa; and requires DHS to create an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system modeled after the E-Verify system and requires all employers to use the system. Passed House 5/11/23.
H. Concurrent Resolution 40: Expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies. Passed House 5/18/23.
Law Enforcement Legislation 117th Congress The 117th congress convened on January 3, 2021. The session ended on January 5, 2023.
S. 4003: Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act of 2022 A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for training on alternatives to use of force, de-escalation, and mental and behavioral health and suicidal crises. Signed by President 12/27/22.
H.R. 7181: Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022 Directs the Secretary of Transportation to seek to provide for the posting of contact information of the national human trafficking hotline in the restrooms of each aircraft, airport, over-the-road bus, bus station, passenger train, and passenger railroad station operating within the United States, and for other purposes. Signed by President 12/27/22.
S. 2991: Countering Human Trafficking Act of 2021 A bill to establish a Department of Homeland Security Center for Countering Human Trafficking, and for other purposes. Signed by President 12/27/22.
S. 2796 Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act This bill expands the allowable uses of grant funds under the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program administered by the Department of Justice. Specifically, the bill allows grants to be used for pilot programs for rural areas to implement community response programs that focus on reducing opioid overdose deaths, which may include presenting alternatives to incarceration. Signed by President 12/20/22.
S.4834: Protect Our Children Act. Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2022 or the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2022; reauthorizes through FY2024 (1) the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, and (2) the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program. Signed by President 12/21/22.
H.R. 8454: Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion ActMedical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act. Establishes a new, separate registration process to facilitate research on marijuana. Signed by President 12/6/22
S. 4205: PAW Act This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a working group relating to best practices and federal guidance for animals in emergencies and disasters. Specifically, the working group shall (1) encourage and foster collaborative efforts among individuals and entities working to address the needs of household pets, service and assistance animals, and captive animals in emergency and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; and (2) review best practices and federal guidance on sheltering and evacuation planning relating to the needs of such pets and animals. Signed by President 10/17/22.
H.R. 2992– TBI and PTSD Law Enforcement Training Act Requires the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to develop crisis intervention training tools for first responders to address individuals with traumatic brain injuries, acquired brain injuries, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The tools are to be part of the Police-Mental Health Collaboration Toolkit. Signed by President as of 8/16/22.
H.R. 6943– Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022 Extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program (PSOB) to certain public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or acute stress disorder following a stressful situation while on duty. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty. Signed by President as of 8/16/22.
S. 4549: Homicide Victims’ Families’ Rights Act of 2022 This bill establishes a framework for immediate family members of a victim of murder under federal law to request a review of the victim's case file if the murder was committed more than three years prior, the murder was investigated by a federal law enforcement entity, all probative investigative leads have been exhausted, and no likely perpetrator has been identified. Signed by president on August 3, 2022.
H.R. 55: Emmett Till Antilynching Act: The bill imposes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 30 years, or both—on an individual who conspires to commit a hate crime offense that results in death or serious bodily injury or that includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill. Signed by President 3/29/22
S 1511: Protecting America's First Responders Act of 2021 Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 with respect to payments to certain public safety officers who have become permanently and totally disabled as a result of personal injuries sustained in the line of duty, and for other purposes. 11/18/21 Signed by President.
S. 1502: COPS Counseling Act Making Federal law enforcement officer peer support communications confidential, and for other purposes. 11/18/21 Signed by President.
H.R. 5305: Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act HR5305, in section 3104, further extends the emergency scheduling order until January 28, 2022. NOTE: The emergency scheduling order for fentanyl was extended until February 18, 2022, in the Federal Funding Stopgap Bill. Signed by President on 9/30/21.
S. 937: COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act A bill to facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 hate crimes. DOJ must issue guidance for state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies on establishing online hate crime reporting processes, collecting data disaggregated by protected characteristic (e.g., race or national origin), and expanding education campaigns. Also establishes grants for states to create state-run hate crimes reporting hotlines. It also authorizes grants for states and local governments to implement the National Incident-Based Reporting System and to conduct law enforcement activities or crime reduction programs to prevent, address, or respond to hate crimes. Signed by President 5/20/21.
Bill Passing Only One Chamber
H.R. 1280: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 This bill addresses a wide range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. It increases accountability for law enforcement misconduct, restricts the use of certain policing practices, enhances transparency and data collection, and establishes best practices and training requirements. The bill enhances existing enforcement mechanisms to remedy violations by law enforcement. Among other things, it does the following: lowers the criminal intent standard—from willful to knowing or reckless—to convict a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution, limits qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer, and grants administrative subpoena power to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in pattern-or-practice investigations. It establishes a framework to prevent and remedy racial profiling by law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels. It also limits the unnecessary use of force and restricts the use of no-knock warrants, chokeholds, and carotid holds. The bill creates a national registry—the National Police Misconduct Registry—to compile data on complaints and records of police misconduct. It also establishes new reporting requirements, including on the use of force, officer misconduct, and routine policing practices (e.g., stops and searches). Finally, it directs DOJ to create uniform accreditation standards for law enforcement agencies and requires law enforcement officers to complete training on racial profiling, implicit bias, and the duty to intervene when another officer uses excessive force. Passed House 3/3/21. Not taken up by Senate. Died at end of session.
UPDATES ON H.R.1280 - George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 Updated 11/7/21 The bill passed the House on March 3, 2021, and was sent to the Senate. The Senate has not acted on it. The Senate wants to work a compromise with the House, but that has stalled the bill. A report on May 13 indicated the two sides are still not close to agreement on key issues.
ARTICLE: Police: Flaw in reform bill ‘will result’ in more shootings and deaths Washington Examiner 5/13/21 The legislation will end the use of Tasers, seen by many as a less harmful way to subdue suspects. At issue is language calling the use of electronic control weapons (including Tasers) “deadly force,” the same as firearms. The bill rushed through the House said that when used against a suspect “multiple” times, it becomes a deadly force weapon. But the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association said that is a misunderstanding of stun guns and why they are used and will likely result in officers instead just going for their firearms.
The provision in the bill as passed by the House: "(10) DEADLY FORCE.—The term “deadly force” means that force which a reasonable person would consider likely to cause death or serious bodily harm, including--(A) the discharge of a firearm; (B) a maneuver that restricts blood or oxygen flow to the brain, including chokeholds, strangleholds, neck restraints, neckholds, and carotid artery restraints; and (C) multiple discharges of an electronic control weapon. (11) USE OF FORCE.—The term “use of force” includes-- (A) the use of a firearm, electronic control weapon, explosive device, chemical agent (such as pepper spray), baton, impact projectile, blunt instrument, hand, fist, foot, canine, or vehicle against an individual; (B) the use of a weapon, including a personal body weapon, chemical agent, impact weapon, extended range impact weapon, sonic weapon, sensory weapon, conducted energy device, or firearm, against an individual; or (C) any intentional pointing of a firearm at an individual."
116th CONGRESS convened from January 3, 2019 until January 2, 2021
H.R. 6395 was passed by the House and Senate. It is the defense authorization bill, but in section 1053 starting on page 1218 of the document at this link, there are new restrictions on the 1033 program for distributing military surplus items to law enforcement. Among the new provisions:
Preference rules are amended to include "Applications that request vehicles used for disaster-related emergency preparedness, such as high-water rescue vehicles, should receive the highest preference."
The required training for receiving agencies is amended by adding training on "respect for the rights of citizens under the Constitution of the United States and de-escalation of force."
Property not transferrable now includes bayonets, grenades (except stun and flashbang grenades), weaponized tracked combat vehicles and weaponized drones.
The President has not signed the bill yet and has threatened to veto it on concerns unrelated to this provision. But the bill passed both the House and Senate with sufficient votes to override a veto.
S. 2746: Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act This bill directs the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to establish a new program—the Law Enforcement Officers Suicide Data Collection Program—to prevent and understand law enforcement suicides. Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies may submit to the FBI, and the FBI must report on, data about suicides and attempted suicides of current and former officers. Signed by the President Jun 16, 2020
H.R. 724: Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act Revises and expands criminal provisions with respect to animal crushing.It retains existing criminal offenses that prohibit knowingly creating or distributing an animal crush video using interstate commerce. The bill also adds a new provision to criminalize an intentional act of animal crushing. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to seven years, or both.It provides additional exceptions for conduct, or a video of conduct, including conduct that is (1) medical or scientific research, (2) necessary to protect the life or property of a person, (3) performed as part of euthanizing an animal, or (4) unintentional. Signed by the President November 25, 2019.
S. 998: Supporting and Treating Officers In Crisis Act of 2019 Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand support for police officer family services, stress reduction, and suicide prevention. Signed by the President July 25, 2019.
H.R. 2379: To reauthorize the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Passed House and Senate. Signed by President. May 23, 2019
US Senate passes Marijuana Research bill On December 15, 2020, the US Senate passed the Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act, S.2032. The bill provides better access to marijuana for medical research, establishes rules to control diversion of marijuana from the research project, and focuses on medical use research under FDA approval processes for medicine.
H.R.3797: Medical Marijuana Research Act. This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to make marijuana accessible for use by qualified marijuana researchers for medical purposes, and for other purposes. It passed the House on Dec. 9. No action yet in Senate.
S. 2174: Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Act. Enhances federal grants and investigative tools regarding missing persons and deceased individuals. The bill has passed both chambers, as of 12/16/2020, and is awaiting action by the President.
S. 134: Combat Online Predators Act. This bill increases the maximum prison term for a stalking offense, if the victim is under 18 years of age. Passed Senate and House awaiting action by President.
H.R. 7120: Justice in Policing Act of 2020 The bill facilitates federal enforcement of constitutional violations (e.g., excessive use of force) by state and local law enforcement. Among other things, it does the following: Lowers the criminal intent standard—from willful to knowing or reckless—to convict a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution, limits qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer or state correctional officer, and authorizes the Department of Justice to issue subpoenas in investigations of police departments for a pattern or practice of discrimination. The bill also creates a national registry—the National Police Misconduct Registry—to compile data on complaints and records of police misconduct. It establishes a framework to prohibit racial profiling at the federal, state, and local levels. The bill establishes new requirements for law enforcement officers and agencies, including to report data on use-of-force incidents, to obtain training on implicit bias and racial profiling, and to wear body cameras. Reported to be the Democrats bill without Republican input. Passed House on Jun 25, 2020. Awaiting Senate Consideration.
S. 3985: Justice Act This is the Senate Law Enforcement Reform bill. Said to contain 60% of contents of H.R. 7120 and was intended by Senate to be negotiated and debated on remaining points. Introduced on Jun 17, 2020, Failed Cloture with 55 of the needed 60 votes to move forward. Largely partisan vote with 52 of 3 republicans, 2 of 43 democrats, and 1 of 2 independents voting in favor.
H.R. 6509 Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act of 2020 To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide public safety officer death and disability benefits for certain public safety officers who contract COVID-19, and for other purposes. Passed House May 27, 2020. No action in Senate as of 7/1/20. Also see S. 3607 below.
S. 3607: Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act of 2020 To extend public safety officer death benefits to public safety officers whose death is caused by COVID-19, and for other purposes. Passed Senate 5/14/20. No action in House as of 7/1/20. Also see H.R. 6509 above.
S. 3063: Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act of 2019 A bill to encourage greater community accountability of law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes. Introduced 12/17/19. No movement as of 7/1/20.
H.R. 6172: USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 Reauthorizes through December 1, 2023, provisions related to intelligence gathering under the Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act (FISA) and amends FISA-related provisions. Passed the House March 11, 2020. Passed the Senate with amendments May 14, 2020. Pending conference. (Last Updated 7/1/20)
S. 1208: Protecting America’s First Responders Act
Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 with respect to payments to certain public safety officers who have become permanently and totally disabled as a result of personal injuries sustained in the line of duty. Passed Senate May 16, 2019. House has taken no action as of 7/1/20.
HR8 To require a background check for every firearm sale. The bill has passed the House (2/27/19) Senate has taken no action as of 7/1/20. Also see similar bill: S42 No action taken as of 7/1/20
S. 3987: A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide that COPS grant funds may be used for local law enforcement recruits to attend schools or academics if the recruits agree to serve in precincts of law enforcement agencies in their communities. 6/17/20. Text not available as of 7/1/20.