The Police Law Blog

Senate Bill 1132, the Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act Improvements Act of 2010 (LEOSA 2010) passed the United States Senate by unanimous consent in Mid-May of this year.  The legislation has strong bi-partisan support.  Many of the changes in the legislation, if it becomes law, would improve certain provisions of the Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act (LEOSA) / HR 218, especially with respect to retired law enforcement officers. 

 

The legislation would also make clear that law enforcement officers employed by the Amtrak and Federal Reserve Police Departments, and those employed by the Executive Branch of the federal government who are classified in OPM Series, GS-0083, would automatically meet the definition of "qualified law enforcement officer" under the current version of LEOSA.   The legislation would also lower the aggregate years of service needed in order to meet the definition of "qualified retired law enforcement officer" from the current fifteen (15) years to ten (10) years and the legislation would also remove some confusing language related to this same definition.  S.1132 having passed the Senate, is currently in the House of Representatives.

 

According to the Congressional Research Service, LEOSA 2010:

 

amends the federal criminal code to include a law enforcement officer of the Amtrak Police Department and the Federal Reserve or a law enforcement or police officer of the executive branch as a qualified law enforcement officer eligible to carry concealed firearms. Expands the definition of "firearm" to include ammunition not expressly prohibited by federal law or subject to the provisions of the National Firearms Act.

 

Revises the definition of "qualified retired law enforcement officer" to: (1) include officers separated (currently, retired) in good standing from service with a public agency as a law enforcement officer; and (2) reduce the years-of-service requirement for such officers from 15 to 10 years. Revises: (1) requirements for firearms certification for such separated officers to allow firearms training in accordance with the standards of the officer's former agency, the state in which such officer resides, or if such state has not established training standards, standards established by a law enforcement agency within the state or those used by a certified firearms instructor; and (2) mental health requirements for such officers.

 

CRS Report on LEOSA 2010. 

 

Given the strong bi-partisan support from both parties in the Senate, it is believed that this legislation has a strong chance of passage in the House and in becoming law.  If you would like to review the bill passed by the Senate, please download a version here.Download LEOSA2010