Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Federal Correctional Workers Safety Act of 2013”.
Federal Correctional Workers Safety Act of 2013
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to require the Bureau of Prisons to provide secure storage areas on institution grounds outside the secure perimeter for employees authorized to carry a firearm.
Sec. 2 Findings
The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, enacted in 2004 and later amended by the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act of 2010, gives law enforcement officers, including Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees, the right to carry a concealed firearm in all fifty States for self-protection.
The intent of the law is to allow law enforcement officers to protect themselves while off duty.
Correctional workers in the BOP have been the targets of assaults and murders while off duty.
While this law allows officers to protect themselves off duty, the BOP does not allow staff to carry their personal weapon on the grounds of most facilities when commuting to and from work.
The BOP allows carry to and from work and storage at approximately 15 facilities in the BOP, but they do not reasonably explain why they allow some BOP staff to carry on BOP property while others are not allowed.
Sec. 3 Secure firearms storage in prison
In general— Chapter 303 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“4049. Secure firearms storage in prison
“The Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall ensure that each prison facility provides a secure firearms storage area for use by all persons employed by the Bureau at the facility who are authorized to carry a firearm, or allow employees authorized to carry a firearm to store their firearm in a Bureau-approved vehicle lockbox.”
Clerical amendment— The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 303 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: