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) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary 
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Equity in Law En-
forcement Act’’.
SEC. 2. LINE-OF-DUTY DEATH AND DISABILITY BENEFITS. 
Section 1204(8) of part L of the Omnibus Crime 
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
3796b(8)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘or’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) an individual who is—
‘‘(i) serving a private institution of 
higher education in an official capacity, 
with or without compensation, as a law en-
forcement officer; and 
‘‘(ii) sworn, licensed, or certified 
under the laws of a State for the purposes 
of law enforcement (and trained to meet 
the training standards for law enforcement 
officers established by the relevant govern-
mental appointing authority); or 
‘‘(E) a rail police officer who is—
‘‘(i) employed by a rail carrier; and 
‘‘(ii) sworn, licensed, or certified 
under the laws of a State for the purposes 
of law enforcement (and trained to meet 
the training standards for law enforcement
officers established by the relevant govern-
mental appointing authority).’’. 
SEC. 3. LAW ENFORCEMENT ARMOR VESTS. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 2501 of part Y of the 
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 
U.S.C. 3796ll) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) by striking ‘‘and Indian tribes’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Indian tribes, private institutions of 
higher education, and rail carriers’’; and 
(B) by inserting before the period the fol-
lowing: ‘‘and law enforcement officers serving 
private institutions of higher education and rail 
carriers who are sworn, licensed, or certified 
under the laws of a State for the purposes of 
law enforcement (and trained to meet the train-
ing standards for law enforcement officers es-
tablished by the relevant governmental appoint-
ing authority)’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘or Indian 
tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, private institution 
of higher education, or rail carrier’’; and 
(3) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘or Indian 
tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, private institution 
of higher education, or rail carrier’’.
(b) APPLICATIONS.—Section 2502 of part Y of the 
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 
U.S.C. 3796ll–1) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘or Indian 
tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, private institution 
of higher education, or rail carrier’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘and Indian 
tribes’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribes, private institu-
tions of higher education, and rail carriers’’. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2503(6) of part Y of the 
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 
U.S.C. 3796ll–2(6)) is amended by striking ‘‘or Indian 
tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, private institution of 
higher education, or rail carrier’’. 
SEC. 4. OTHER GRANTS. 
Section 510(a)(2) of chapter A of subpart 2 of part 
E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 
Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3760(a)(2)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘and local units of government’’ and inserting ‘‘, units 
of local government, private institutions of higher edu-
cation, and rail carriers’’.
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