§3.Protection of public safety officers
This section establishes a new federal offense (18 U.S.C. §1123) prohibiting any person from killing, or attempting or conspiring to kill, a current or former judicial officer or public safety officer (i.e., law enforcement officer, firefighter, chaplain, or rescue squad or ambulance crew member serving a public agency, including courts and certain state National Guard or defense forces) while engaged in official duties or on account of past performance of such duties, if the offense involves interstate or foreign commerce (e.g., crossing state lines, using interstate facilities or instrumentalities, employing a firearm or weapon that traveled in commerce, or affecting commerce) or if the victim is a federal law enforcement officer, U.S. judge, or federally funded public safety officer (i.e., for an agency receiving federal funds from a state, territory, tribe, or local government). Violations are punishable by a fine, imprisonment for not less than 10 years or life, or, if death results, imprisonment for not less than 30 years to life or death; it further directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to promulgate or amend guidelines for sentencing enhancements of at least five offense levels if the defendant lures the victim. This section also establishes a new federal offense (18 U.S.C. §120) for assaults of public safety officers, incorporating parallel definitions of federally funded public safety officer, firefighter, judicial officer (i.e., judge or court employee, including prosecutors, court security, pretrial services officers, court reporters, and corrections, probation, and parole officers), and law enforcement officer.