Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Equity in Law Enforcement Act of 2015”.
Equity in Law Enforcement Act of 2015
A BILL
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.
Sec. 2 Line-of-duty death and disability benefits
Amendments— Section 1204(9) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b(9)) is amended—
in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking “or” at the end;
in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(E) 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
“(F) 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).”
Applicability of amendments— The amendments made by this section shall apply to a personal injury sustained in the line of duty by an individual described in subparagraph (E) or (F) of section 1204(9) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b(9)), as added by subsection (a), on or after April 15, 2013.
Sec. 3 Law enforcement armor vests
Grant Program— Section 2501 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ll) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by striking “and Indian tribes” and inserting “Indian tribes, private institutions of higher education, and rail carriers”; and
by inserting before the period at the end 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)”;
in subsection (b)(1), by striking “or Indian tribe” and inserting “Indian tribe, private institution of higher education, or rail carrier”; and
in subsection (e), by striking “or Indian tribe” and inserting “Indian tribe, private institution of higher education, or rail carrier”.
Applications— Section 2502 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ll–1) is amended—
in subsection (a), by striking “or Indian tribe” and inserting “Indian tribe, private institution of higher education, or rail carrier”; and
in subsection (b), by striking “and Indian tribes” and inserting “Indian tribes, private institutions of higher education, and rail carriers”.
Definitions— Section 2503(6) of title I 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 Byrne grants
Section 501(b)(2) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3751(b)(2)) is amended by inserting after “units of local government” the following: “, private institutions of higher education, and rail carriers”.