Providing Officer Licensing to Increase Confidence for Everyone Act

Bill: 117-hr-155
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1]
Introduced: 2021-01-04
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Employment and training programs

Law enforcement administration and funding

Law enforcement officers

Licensing and registrations

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2021-03-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-01-04
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Providing Officer Licensing to Increase Confidence for Everyone Act or the POLICE Act</b></p> <p>This bill establishes licensing requirements for law enforcement officers. </p> <p>The Department of Justice must issue licensing standards based on law enforcement best practices. </p> <p>Federal law enforcement officers must be licensed in accordance with such standards and take continuing education classes to maintain their license.</p> <p>States must have in effect a similar licensing system and continuing education program to receive a full allocation of funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program.<br> </p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 155 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 4, 2021 Mr. Rush introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To establish licensing standards for law enforcement, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Providing Officer Licensing to Increase Confidence for Everyone Act or the POLICE Act . 2. Law enforcement licensing standards (a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation with appropriate nongovernmental associations (such as the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training and the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies), shall issue licensing standards for law enforcement officers based on best practices for law enforcement. Such licensing standards shall be reviewed and, if necessary, modified every 5 years. (b) Federal licensing (1) In general Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, each Federal law enforcement officer shall be licensed in accordance with the licensing standards issued pursuant to subsection (a). (2) Continuing education Each Federal law enforcement officer who has received a license under paragraph (1) shall take annual continuing education classes on such topics as the Attorney General may require to maintain the license for a year. (3) Federal law enforcement officer defined In this subsection, the term Federal law enforcement officer has the meaning given the term in section 115 of title 18, United States Code. (c) State licensing (1) In general Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, a State shall— (A) have in effect a licensing system under which each State and local law enforcement officer shall be licensed in accordance with the licensing standards issued pursuant to subsection (a); and (B) have in effect a continuing education program that is substantially similar to the program for Federal law enforcement officers under subsection (b)(2). (2) Byrne If a State fails to comply with the requirement under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the State shall be subject to a 50 percent reduction of the amount that would otherwise be awarded in the following fiscal year to that State under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10151 et seq.). (3) Reallocation Amounts not allocated to a State for failure to comply with this subsection shall be reallocated to States that have complied in accordance with subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10151 et seq.).