Equity in Law Enforcement Act - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to include within the definition of "public safety officer" (thus qualifying for line-of-duty death and disability benefits) individuals serving private institutions of higher education in an official capacity as law enforcement officers, or employed by a rail carrier as police officers, who are sworn, licensed, or certified under State law for purposes of law enforcement and trained to meet training standards for law enforcement officers established by the relevant governmental appointing authority.
Qualifies such officers serving private institutions of higher education and rail carriers under that Act's programs of matching grants for law enforcement armor vests and technical assistance to States and local governments.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3523 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3523
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 19, 2003
Mr. Bell (for himself, Mr. Cole, Mr. Cannon, and Mr. Jefferson)
introduced the following bill; which was 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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Equity in Law Enforcement Act''.
SEC. 2. LINE-OF-DUTY DEATH AND DISABILITY BENEFITS.
Section 1204(8) of part L of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b(8)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) 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
``(E) 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).''.
SEC. 3. LAW ENFORCEMENT ARMOR VESTS.
(a) Grant Program.--Section 2501 of part Y 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 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 part Y 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 part Y 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''.
SEC. 4. OTHER GRANTS.
Section 510(a)(2) of chapter A of subpart 2 of part E of title I of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C.
3760(a)(2)) is amended by striking ``and local units of government''
and inserting ``, units of local government, private institutions of
higher education, and rail carriers''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
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