Equity in Law Enforcement Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-962
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2015-04-15
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Disability assistance

Employee benefits and pensions

Higher education

Law enforcement administration and funding

Law enforcement officers

Railroads

Transportation employees
Latest action: action_date: 2015-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2222-2223)

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-04-15
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Equity in Law Enforcement Act of 2015</strong></p> <p>Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to: (1) expand the definition of "public service officer," for purposes of provisions concerning public safety officer death benefits, to include a law enforcement officer serving a private institution of higher education in an official capacity, or a rail police officer employed by a rail carrier, who is sworn, licensed, or certified under the laws of a state for the purposes of law enforcement (applicable to a personal injury sustained in the line of duty by a public safety officer on or after April 15, 2013); (2) authorize the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to make grants to such institutions and carriers for the purchase of armor vests for such officers; and (3) include such institutions and carriers among entities eligible for contracts or subawards under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 962 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 15, 2015 Mr. Reed (for himself, Ms. Ayotte , Mr. Leahy , Mr. Whitehouse , and Mr. Markey ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Equity in Law Enforcement Act of 2015 . 2. Line-of-duty death and disability benefits (a) Amendments Section 1204(9) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3796b(9) ) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking or at the end; (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (E) an individual who is— (i) serving a private institution of higher education in an official capacity, with or without compensation, as a law enforcement 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 governmental appointing authority); or (F) 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 governmental appointing authority). . (b) Applicability of amendments The amendments made by this section shall apply to a personal injury sustained in the line of duty by an individual described in subparagraph (E) or (F) of section 1204(9) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3796b(9) ), as added by subsection (a), on or after April 15, 2013. 3. Law enforcement armor vests (a) Grant Program Section 2501 of title I 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 inserting Indian tribes, private institutions of higher education, and rail carriers ; and (B) by inserting before the period at the end the following: 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 training standards for law enforcement officers established by the relevant governmental appointing 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 title I 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 institutions of higher education, and rail carriers . (c) Definitions Section 2503(6) of title I 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 . 4. Byrne grants Section 501(b)(2) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3751(b)(2) ) is amended by inserting after units of local government the following: , private institutions of higher education, and rail carriers .