I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4751 
To terminate the law enforcement functions of the Forest Service and the 
Bureau of Land Management and to provide block grants to States 
for the enforcement of Federal law on Federal land under the jurisdiction 
of these agencies, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 16, 2016 
Mr. CHAFFETZ (for himself, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. STEWART, Mrs. LOVE, 
Mr. NEWHOUSE, and Mr. GOSAR) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the 
Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To terminate the law enforcement functions of the Forest 
Service and the Bureau of Land Management and to 
provide block grants to States for the enforcement of 
Federal law on Federal land under the jurisdiction of 
these agencies, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Local Enforcement for 
Local Lands Act of 2016’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COVERED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.— 
The term ‘‘covered law enforcement agency’’ 
means— 
(A) the Forest Service Law Enforcement 
and Investigations unit; and 
(B) the Bureau of Land Management Of-
fice of Law Enforcement. 
(2) FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Federal land’’ 
means— 
(A) any land and interest in land owned by 
the United States within a State and included 
within the National Forest System, including 
the National Grasslands; and 
(B) the public lands (as defined in section 
103(e) of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702(e)). 
(3) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Sec-
retary concerned’’ means— 
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with re-
spect to Federal land described in subpara-
graph (A) of paragraph (2); and 
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with re-
spect to Federal land described in subpara-
graph (B) of paragraph (2). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the several States and the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico. 
(5) UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.—The term 
‘‘unit of local government’’ means— 
(A) any city, county, township, town, bor-
ough, parish, village, or other general purpose 
political subdivision of a State; or 
(B) an Indian tribe which performs law en-
forcement or emergency response functions as 
determined by the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF FOREST SERVICE AND BUREAU 
OF LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCY LAW EN-
FORCEMENT AGENCIES AND LAW ENFORCE-
MENT FUNCTIONS. 
(a) FOREST SERVICE.—Not later than September 30, 
2017, the Secretary of Agriculture shall terminate the 
Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations unit 
and cease using employees of the Forest Service to per-
form law enforcement functions on Federal land. 
(b) DEPARTMENT
OF
THE INTERIOR.—Not later 
than September 30, 2017, the Secretary of the Interior 
shall terminate the Bureau of Land Management Office 
of Law Enforcement and cease using employees of the De-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
partment of the Interior to perform law enforcement func-
tions on Federal land. 
(c) TERMINATION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPRO-
PRIATIONS.—Beginning with fiscal year 2018 and each 
fiscal year thereafter, no amounts are authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Secretary concerned for a covered law 
enforcement agency or for Federal law enforcement func-
tions on Federal land. 
(d) NO EFFECT ON AUTHORITY TO CARRY FIRE-
ARMS.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the 
authority of the Secretary concerned to authorize an em-
ployee of the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Man-
agement to carry a firearm for protection while in the 
field. 
SEC. 4. BLOCK GRANTS TO STATES FOR ENFORCEMENT OF 
FEDERAL LAW ON FEDERAL LAND. 
(a) GRANTS REQUIRED; FORMULA.—For fiscal year 
2018 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall make a grant to each State for the purpose 
of permitting the State, directly or through subgrants with 
units of local government in that State, to maintain law 
and order on Federal land, protect individuals and prop-
erty on Federal land, and enforce Federal law. Grant 
funds shall only be allowed to be used to carry out law 
enforcement functions on Federal land. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(b) GRANT FORMULA.— 
(1) PERCENTAGE OF FEDERAL LAND.—Subject 
to paragraph (2), a State shall receive a grant under 
subsection (a) in an amount that bears the same 
percentage to the amount appropriated for that fis-
cal year under subsection (d) as the total acreage of 
Federal land in that State bears to the total acreage 
of Federal land in all States. 
(2) MODIFICATION
TO
REFLECT
VISITATION 
LEVELS.—The Secretary of the Interior shall modify 
the grant formula specified in paragraph (1) to take 
into account annual visitation levels at individual 
units of Federal land in each State so that States 
whose Federal land receive the highest number of 
recreational users receive additional funds for law 
enforcement. Not later than April 1, 2017, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress the Secretary’s pro-
posal for modifying the grant formula to reflect visi-
tation levels. 
(c) REPORT ON EXPENDITURES.—A State or unit of 
local government receiving a grant or subgrant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary of the Interior an 
annual report— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) certifying that the grant funds were used 
only for the Federal land law enforcement functions 
specified in subsection (a); 
(2) accounting for all expenditures incurred by 
the State or unit of local government in connection 
with performing such law enforcement functions on 
Federal land; and 
(3) indicating whether grant funds were suffi-
cient or insufficient to cover such expenditures. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For fis-
cal year 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter, there is au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior 
to make grants under this section— 
(1) an amount equal to at least the total 
amount appropriated for all covered law enforcement 
agencies for fiscal year 2016; and 
(2) such additional amounts as the Secretary 
considers to be necessary for law enforcement func-
tions on Federal land. 
SEC. 5. STATE AND LOCAL AGREEMENTS FOR LAW EN-
FORCEMENT FUNCTIONS ON FEDERAL LAND. 
(a) AGREEMENT REQUIRED.—As a condition of a 
grant or subgrant under section 4, the State or unit of 
local government receiving the grant or subgrant and the 
Secretary concerned shall enter into an agreement, con-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
sistent with this section, to address the maintenance of 
law and order and the protection of individuals and prop-
erty on Federal land. 
(b) POWERS AND DUTIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT 
PERSONNEL.—The agreement under subsection (a) be-
tween a State or unit of local government receiving a grant 
or subgrant and the Secretary concerned shall authorize 
designated law enforcement officers of the State or unit 
of local government— 
(1) to carry firearms on Federal land; 
(2) make arrests without warrant for any of-
fense against the United States committed in the 
presence of the law enforcement officer, or for any 
felony cognizable under the laws of the United 
States if the law enforcement officer has reasonable 
grounds to believe that the individual to be arrested 
has committed or is committing the felony, provided 
the arrests occur on Federal land or within the State 
or local jurisdiction of the law enforcement officer or 
the individual to be arrested is fleeing from the Fed-
eral land; 
(3) execute any warrant or other process issued 
by a court or officer of competent jurisdiction for 
the enforcement of the provisions of any Federal law 
or regulation issued pursuant to law arising out of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
an offense committed on Federal land or, where the 
individual subject to the warrant or process is on 
Federal land, in connection with any Federal of-
fense; and 
(4) conduct investigations of offenses against 
the United States committed on Federal land in the 
absence of investigation of the offenses by any other 
Federal law enforcement agency having investigative 
jurisdiction over the offense committed or with the 
concurrence of the other agency. 
(c) INDEMNIFY AND SAVE HARMLESS.—The Sec-
retary concerned shall waive, in any agreement under sub-
section (a) with a State or unit of local government, all 
civil claims against the State or unit of local government 
and, subject to available appropriations, indemnify and 
save harmless the State or unit of local government from 
all claims by third parties for property damage or personal 
injury, that may arise out of law enforcement functions 
performed under the agreement. 
(d) LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL NOT DEEMED 
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided in this subsection, a law enforcement officer of 
a State or unit of local government performing law 
enforcement functions pursuant to an agreement 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
under subsection (a) shall not be deemed a Federal 
employee and shall not be subject to the provisions 
of law relating to Federal employment, including 
those relating to hours of work, rates of compensa-
tion, leave, unemployment compensation, and Fed-
eral benefits. 
(2) EXCEPTIONS.—A law enforcement officer of 
a State or unit of local government performing law 
enforcement functions pursuant to an agreement 
under subsection (a) is deemed to be— 
(A) a Federal employee for purposes of 
sections 1346(b) and 2401(b) and chapter 171 
of title 28, United States Code; and 
(B) a civil service employee of the United 
States within the meaning of the term ‘‘em-
ployee’’ as defined in section 8101 of title 5, 
United States Code, for purposes of subchapter 
I of chapter 81 of such title, relating to com-
pensation to Federal employees for work inju-
ries, and the provisions of subchapter I of chap-
ter 81 of such title shall apply. 
(e) FEDERAL INVESTIGATIVE JURISDICTION
AND 
STATE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JURISDICTION NOT PRE-
EMPTED.—This section shall not be construed or ap-
plied— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) to limit or restrict the investigative jurisdic-
tion of any Federal law enforcement agency other 
than a covered law enforcement agency; and 
(2) to affect any right of a State or unit of local 
government to exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction 
on Federal land. 
(f) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) FOREST SERVICE.—Section 15003 of the 
National Forest System Drug Control Act of 1986 
(16 U.S.C. 559c) is repealed. 
(2) BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT.—Section 
303(c)(2) of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1733(c)(2)) is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘may authorize Federal personnel or’’ 
and inserting ‘‘shall authorize’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:47 Mar 17, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4751.IH
H4751
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS