US Congress Senate Bill 419 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Completed Legislative Action
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: Passed on June 2 2017 - 100% progression
Action: 2018-01-17 - Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
Text: Latest bill text (Enrolled) [PDF]

Public Safety Officers' Benefits Improvement Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to revise requirements for the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program. (The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty.) It authorizes the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to establish PSOB program rules, regulations, and procedures based on standards developed by another federal agency. In determining a claimant's eligibility for death or disability benefits, the BJA must give substantial weight to evidence and facts presented by a state, local, or federal agency. If a state, local, or federal agency provides a certification of facts regarding eligibility for death or disability benefits, then BJA must adopt the factual findings, if they are supported by substantial evidence. The BJA must also publish and update information on pending claims and submitted claims for death, disability, and educational benefits. (Sec. 3) This section extends the age limitation for a PSOB claim for death, disability, or education benefits that is approved more than one year after the date on which it was filed. (Sec. 4) The BJA must attempt to obtain necessary documentation to determine a claimant's eligibility for death, disability, or education benefits. If it cannot determine eligibility due to a lack of documentation from a third party (e.g., a public agency), and such information is not readily available to the claimant, then the BJA may abandon the claim only after it utilizes investigative tools, including subpoenas, to obtain the information. (Sec. 5) The bill establishes a presumption that a public safety officer acted properly at the time of injury or death and that no specified limitation (e.g., voluntary intoxication at the time of injury or death) bars the payment of death or disability benefits. The BJA must not determine that a limitation applies, absent clear and convincing evidence. (Sec. 6) This bill's provisions apply to a claim that is pending on or submitted on or after enactment.

Public Safety Officers' Benefits Improvement Act of 2017

Sen. Chuck Grassley [R-IA]	Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY]	Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-UT]	Sen. Christopher Coons [D-DE]
Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D-CA]	Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI]	Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL]	Sen. Richard Blumenthal [D-CT]
Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN]	Sen. Roy Blunt [R-MO]	Sen. Al Franken [D-MN]	Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse [D-RI]
Sen. Patrick Leahy [D-VT]	Sen. John Cornyn [R-TX]	Sen. John Kennedy [R-LA]	Sen. Ted Cruz [R-TX]
Sen. Thom Tillis [R-NC]

Date	Chamber	Action
2018-01-17	House	Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
2017-06-02	House	Became Public Law No: 115-36. (TXT | PDF)
2017-06-02	House	Signed by President.
2017-05-22	House	Presented to President.
2017-05-17	House	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2017-05-17	House	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4248-4249)
2017-05-17	House	DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 419.
2017-05-17	House	Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4248-4251)
2017-05-17	House	Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
2017-05-17	House	Held at the desk.
2017-05-17	House	Received in the House.
2017-05-17	Senate	Message on Senate action sent to the House.
2017-05-16	Senate	Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
2017-05-16	Senate	S.Amdt.216 Amendment SA 216 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
2017-05-16	Senate	S.Amdt.216 Amendment SA 216 proposed by Senator Alexander for Senator Grassley. (consideration: CR S2954) In the nature of a substitute.
2017-05-16	Senate	Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S2954)
2017-03-09	Senate	Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 10.
2017-03-09	Senate	Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley without amendment. Without written report.
2017-03-09	Senate	Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
2017-02-16	Senate	Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/419/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/s419/BILLS-115s419is.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/s419/BILLS-115s419rs.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/s419/BILLS-115s419es.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/s419/BILLS-115s419enr.pdf