I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3523

To extend the same Federal benefits to law enforcement officers serving 

private institutions of higher education and rail carriers, that apply 

to law enforcement officers serving units of State and local government. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 19, 2003

Mr. BELL (for himself, Mr. COLE, Mr. CANNON, and Mr. JEFFERSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL

To extend the same Federal benefits to law enforcement 

officers serving private institutions of higher education 

and rail carriers, that apply to law enforcement officers 

serving units of State and local government.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Equity in Law En5 forcement Act’’. 
2

•HR 3523 IH 

1 SEC. 2. LINE-OF-DUTY DEATH AND DISABILITY BENEFITS. 

2 Section 1204(8) of part L of the Omnibus Crime 

3 Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 

4 3796b(8)) is amended—

5 (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘or’’ at 

6 the end; 

7 (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period 

8 at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 

9 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(D) an individual who is—

11 ‘‘(i) serving a private institution of 

12 higher education in an official capacity, 

13 with or without compensation, as a law en14 forcement officer; and 

15 ‘‘(ii) sworn, licensed, or certified 

16 under the laws of a State for the purposes 

17 of law enforcement (and trained to meet 

18 the training standards for law enforcement 

19 officers established by the relevant govern20 mental appointing authority); or 

21 ‘‘(E) a rail police officer who is—

22 ‘‘(i) employed by a rail carrier; and 

23 ‘‘(ii) sworn, licensed, or certified 

24 under the laws of a State for the purposes 

25 of law enforcement (and trained to meet 

26 the training standards for law enforcement 
3

•HR 3523 IH 

1 officers established by the relevant govern2 mental appointing authority).’’. 

3 SEC. 3. LAW ENFORCEMENT ARMOR VESTS. 

4 (a) GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 2501 of part Y of the 

5 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 

6 U.S.C. 3796ll) is amended—

7 (1) in subsection (a)—

8 (A) by striking ‘‘and Indian tribes’’ and in9 serting ‘‘Indian tribes, private institutions of 

10 higher education, and rail carriers’’; and 

11 (B) by inserting before the period the fol12 lowing: ‘‘and law enforcement officers serving 

13 private institutions of higher education and rail 

14 carriers who are sworn, licensed, or certified 

15 under the laws of a State for the purposes of 

16 law enforcement (and trained to meet the train17 ing standards for law enforcement officers es18 tablished by the relevant governmental appoint19 ing authority)’’; 

20 (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘or Indian 

21 tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, private institution 

22 of higher education, or rail carrier’’; and 

23 (3) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘or Indian 

24 tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, private institution 

25 of higher education, or rail carrier’’. 
4

•HR 3523 IH 

1 (b) APPLICATIONS.—Section 2502 of part Y of the 

2 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 

3 U.S.C. 3796ll–1) is amended—

4 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘or Indian 

5 tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, private institution 

6 of higher education, or rail carrier’’; and 

7 (2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘and Indian 

8 tribes’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribes, private institu9 tions of higher education, and rail carriers’’. 

10 (c) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2503(6) of part Y of the 

11 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 

12 U.S.C. 3796ll–2(6)) is amended by striking ‘‘or Indian 

13 tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, private institution of 

14 higher education, or rail carrier’’. 

15 SEC. 4. OTHER GRANTS. 

16 Section 510(a)(2) of chapter A of subpart 2 of part 

17 E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 

18 Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3760(a)(2)) is amended by strik19 ing ‘‘and local units of government’’ and inserting ‘‘, units 

20 of local government, private institutions of higher edu21 cation, and rail carriers’’.

Æ