Badge Transparency Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-7711
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
Introduced: 2020-07-21
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Accounting and auditing

Congressional oversight

Criminal justice information and records

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Law enforcement administration and funding

Law enforcement officers

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2020-07-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-07-21
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Badge Transparency Act of 2020</b></p> <p>This bill establishes a framework to require law enforcement officers to visibly display their identification while on duty. </p> <p>Specifically, it requires federal law enforcement agencies to enact policies requiring on-duty officers to visibly display identification. State and local law enforcement agencies must implement a substantially similar policy as a condition of receiving funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program and the Community Oriented Policing Services program.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7711 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 21, 2020 Ms. Ocasio-Cortez (for herself, Ms. Norton , Ms. Pressley , Ms. Tlaib , Mr. Huffman , and Ms. Omar ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To require the display of certain identification for certain law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Badge Transparency Act of 2020 . 2. Requiring Federal law enforcement officers to display certain identification (a) Identification of Federal law enforcement officers (1) In general Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section the head of each Federal law enforcement agency shall implement a policy requiring that a Federal law enforcement officer (in uniform or plain clothes), employed by a Federal law enforcement agency, make visible the following identification while on-duty or serving the public as a Federal law enforcement officer: (A) The first and last name of such Federal law enforcement officer. (B) The name of the Federal law enforcement agency the Federal law enforcement officer is employed. (C) A badge number or other identification number from the Federal law enforcement agency employing such Federal law enforcement officer pursuant to subparagraph (B). (2) Enforcement Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section the head of each Federal law enforcement agency shall implement a policy with respect to the enforcement of the policy under subsection (a). (3) Data collection on compliance Beginning not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the head of each Federal law enforcement agency shall collect and submit to the Attorney General, on an annual basis, a report on the— (A) number of instances in which a Federal law enforcement officer did not comply with the requirement under subsection (a); and (B) Federal law enforcement agency that has employed such officer. (b) Policy requirement for State and local law enforcement Beginning in the first fiscal year that begins after the date of the enactment of this section, to be eligible to receive funds under subpart 1 of part E of title 1 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10151 et seq.) and part Q of title I of such Act ( 34 U.S.C. 10381 et seq.), a State or unit of local government shall have in place a law or policy substantially similar to the policy under subsection (a) and shall be in substantial compliance with such law or policy. (c) Inspector General Oversight The Inspector General of the Department of Justice shall conduct audits to ensure compliance with the policy and data collection requirements pursuant to subsection (a), and shall, on an annual basis, report the findings of such audits to the Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and of the Senate. 3. Definitions (a) Federal law enforcement officer The term Federal law enforcement officer — (1) means a Federal employee— (A) who has statutory authority to make arrests or apprehensions; (B) who is authorized by the Federal law enforcement agency of the employee to carry firearms; and (C) whose duties are primarily— (i) engagement in or supervision of the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law; or (ii) the protection of Federal, State, local, or foreign government officials against threats to personal safety; and (2) includes a law enforcement officer employed by the Amtrak Police Department or Federal Reserve. (b) Federal law enforcement agency The term Federal law enforcement agency means any agency of the United States authorized to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of any violation of Federal criminal law. (c) State The term State has the meaning given such term in section 901 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10251 ). (d) Unit of local government The term unit of local government has the meaning given such term in section 901 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10251 ).