“To protect law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes a new federal offense (18 U.S.C. §1123) for killing, attempting, or conspiring to kill a United States judge, federal law enforcement officer (as defined in 18 U.S.C. §115), or federally funded public safety officer (i.e., law enforcement officer, firefighter, judicial officer, or other public safety personnel serving a state, territorial, tribal, or local public agency receiving federal financial assistance) while engaged in or on account of official duties, or killing a former such individual on account of past duties. Violators are subject to fines and imprisonment for not less than 10 years or life; if death results, not less than 30 years to life or death. This section also establishes a new federal offense (18 U.S.C. §120) for assaulting a federally funded state or local law enforcement officer (i.e., police, corrections, probation, or parole officer serving a state or District of Columbia public agency receiving federal financial assistance) while engaged in or on account of official duties, assaulting a former such officer on account of past duties, or assaulting based on actual or perceived status as such an officer. Penalties include fines and imprisonment as follows: (1) up to 1 year if no bodily injury; (2) 2-10 years if bodily injury results; (3) 5-20 years if substantial bodily injury results; (4) not less than 10 years if serious bodily injury results; or (5) not less than 20 years if a deadly or dangerous weapon is used. Federal prosecution requires Attorney General certification that the state lacks jurisdiction, requested federal assumption, a state verdict left the federal interest in bias-motivated violence unvindicated, or prosecution is in the public interest for substantial justice; the statute of limitations is generally 7 years (except for offenses resulting in death).
This section establishes a new aggravating factor for federal death penalty homicide cases by adding to the list in 18 U.S.C. §3592(c) the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer, prosecutor, judge, or first responder (i.e., a person authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detention, or investigation of criminal violations; to arrest, prosecute, or adjudicate criminal violations; or to serve as a firefighter or other first responder).
This section limits federal habeas corpus relief under 28 U.S.C. §2254 for persons in state custody pursuant to judgments for crimes involving the killing of a public safety officer (as defined in 42 U.S.C. §3796b, i.e., law enforcement officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and similar personnel) or a judge while engaged in the performance of official duties or on account of such duties or status. Specifically, for such cases it (1) subjects habeas applications to the time limitations and other requirements of 28 U.S.C. §§2263, 2264, and 2266 (i.e., Chapter 154's expedited procedures applicable to capital cases in states meeting specified standards) and bars federal courts from considering claims relating to sentencing adjudicated in state court; (2) amends Rule 11 of the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases to preclude application of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b)(6) (i.e., relief for any other reason) and designates 28 U.S.C. §§2251, 2262, and 2101 as the exclusive authorities for federal courts to stay state death sentences; (3) amends 28 U.S.C. §2244(b)(3)(E) to limit court of appeals authorization of second or successive habeas applications to claims reheard by the court of appeals or reviewed by writ of certiorari by the Supreme Court (from prior text allowing broader consideration of previously denied petitions); and (4) applies these changes to cases pending on or after enactment, restarts any new time limits on the date of enactment for pending cases, and excepts certain pre-enactment amendments to pending petitions adjudicated before enactment from barriers under §2266(b)(3)(B).
This section establishes new §3054 authorizing sworn federal, state, or local law enforcement officers (i.e., those authorized to prevent, detect, investigate, or prosecute violations of law or to supervise inmates) to carry firearms when authorized by law, including possession incident to secure storage in federal facilities or court facilities as defined in 18 USC §930. The section also (1) amends the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA, 18 USC §§926B and 926C) to clarify that concealed carry by qualified active and retired officers includes any magazine; (2) expands the gun-free school zones exception (18 USC §922(q)) to expressly include qualified law enforcement officers; (3) requires the Attorney General to issue regulations within 60 days of enactment implementing §3054, consulting the Judicial Conference for federal judges; (4) updates the chapter table of sections; and (5) amends federal facilities firearms restrictions (18 USC §930) to except possession by qualified active or retired officers in Facility Security Level I or II civilian public access facilities (i.e., those open to the general public, as risk-assessed per Interagency Security Committee standards).
This section directs the Attorney General to award grants totaling up to $20 million during FY2026 through FY2030, using covered amounts (i.e., unobligated balances from Department of Justice general administration appropriations, funds from the Edward Byrne Memorial criminal justice innovation program, or a combination thereof), to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and nongovernmental organizations to (1) promote trust and legitimacy through procedural reforms, transparency, and accountability; (2) develop policies on key community relationship topics; (3) balance technology and digital communications with privacy and monitoring needs; (4) implement community-based crime reduction partnerships; (5) provide high-quality training through partnerships; and (6) support officer wellness via shift reevaluation and data analysis.