I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 659 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to reform the provisions of law 
commonly referred to as the ‘‘Hatch Act’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 13, 2013 
Mr. LATTA (for himself and Mr. PASCRELL) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
A BILL 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to reform the 
provisions of law commonly referred to as the ‘‘Hatch Act’’. 
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 ‘‘State and Local Law 
Enforcement Hatch Act Reform Act of 2013’’. 
SEC. 2. POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. 
Section 1502 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(d) Subsection (a)(1) does not prohibit a sheriff 
from participating in political campaigns for, or endorsing, 
political candidates running for elective office by— 
‘‘(1) attending or speaking at political cam-
paign rallies or events; 
‘‘(2) holding or sponsoring political fundraisers; 
or 
‘‘(3) appearing on political advertisements, in-
cluding print, radio, television, or any other form of 
advertising.’’. 
SEC. 3. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. 
Section 1504 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’ before 
‘‘When’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR LAW ENFORCE-
MENT OFFICERS.—With respect to paragraphs (1) and 
(3) of section 1502(a), the Special Counsel may not 
present any charges against a law enforcement officer 
under subsection (a) after the end of the 6-month period 
beginning on the later of— 
‘‘(1) the date of the alleged violation of para-
graph (1) or (3) of section 1502(a), as the case may 
be; or 
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‘‘(2) the date of the enactment of the State and 
Local Law Enforcement Hatch Act Reform Act of 
2013.’’. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 1501 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon; 
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period and 
inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) ‘sheriff’ means an individual who holds the 
elected Office of Sheriff, as defined by State con-
stitution or State statute, of a county, town, town-
ship, parish, village, or other general purpose polit-
ical subdivision of a State; and 
‘‘(6) ‘law enforcement officer’ means a State or 
local officer or employee whose duties are primarily 
the investigation, apprehension, or detention of indi-
viduals suspected or convicted of offenses against 
the criminal laws of a State or local jurisdiction, in-
cluding an officer or employee engaged in this activ-
ity who is transferred to a supervisory or adminis-
trative position.’’. 
Æ 
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