Sponsors (35)
The bill extends death and permanent disability benefits (including retroactive claims back to Aug 28, 2012) to certain retired law enforcement officers and their survivors, improving financial protection for that group while increasing federal program costs and administrative workload.
Retired law enforcement officers who are targeted because of their prior service — and their surviving family members — become eligible for death or permanent disability benefits, providing direct financial support to disabled retirees and survivors.
Previously ineligible survivors and disabled retirees can file claims for qualifying attacks that occurred on or after Aug 28, 2012 because the bill applies benefits retroactively, allowing recovery for past incidents.
Taxpayers and federal grant programs may face higher costs because expanding eligibility increases benefit payouts, which could reduce funds available for other Bureau of Justice Assistance programs or require additional appropriations.
Retired officers, state governments, and Bureau of Justice Assistance staff are likely to face a surge of retroactive claims that increases administrative workload and may delay processing for current and future claimants.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows certain retired law enforcement officers to receive federal public safety officers' death and permanent-and-total disability benefits for targeted attacks motivated by their prior service, retroactive to Aug 28, 2012.
Introduced February 12, 2025 by Garland H. Barr · Last progress February 12, 2025
Extends federal public safety officers' death and permanent-and-total disability benefits to certain retired law enforcement officers who are killed or permanently disabled as the direct and proximate result of a targeted attack motivated by their prior service. It defines "retired law enforcement officer" as someone who separated from service in good standing from a public agency, makes the change effective on enactment, and applies it retroactively to qualifying attacks occurring on or after August 28, 2012.