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.

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

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'.

END