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Governmental Affairs monitored 183 bills of
initial interest to the PBA membership in this
Congress. Of these bills 17 have passed, the
remainder either died at adjournment or were
passed in an amended form that no longer contain
provisions affecting PBA membership.
Of the bills that became law, the bills of PBA
“interest” included 13 from the House, mostly
funding bills providing additional monies to
local law enforcement. One retirement bill (HR
4), two bills with provisions to help officers
in the areas hit by Katrina (HR 3673 /HR 3768)
and HR 2862 which waived the matching
requirement for local agencies to get funding to
replace their defective Zylon protective vests.
The 4 from the Senate were the Patriot act
extension (S 2167), waiver of gun maker
liability (S 397) and two budget bills.
Some of the bills that died included 15
immigration bills with provisions affecting
local and state law enforcement agencies. We
took action on two of these bills, HR 3137 and
companion S 1362 referred to as the “CLEAR Act”
which provides an immigration national database
available to local agencies. Also included is
local authority to enforce immigration laws and
training for local officers in the enforcement.
S 1362 Introduced: 6/30/05
Last action: 6/30/05 referred to Judiciary
PBA sponsors: AL, GA
H 3137 Introduced: 6/23/05
Last action: 9/15/05 referred to subcommittee on
immigration
PBA sponsors: AL. GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA
We also initiated support for a bill in the
Senate, S 1605, modifying the nation-wide
concealed carry law to clarify state
requirements for carry approval. It died in
Judiciary.
S 1605 Introduced: 7/29/05
Last action: 7/29/05 referred to Judiciary
PBA sponsors: AR, GA, NC, SC
Five bills directly related to the SS PBA
Congressional Agenda for the 109th Congress. Two
are due process bills, HR 354 and companion S
718. Both died in committee.
S 718 Introduced: 4/6/05
Last action: 4/6/05 referred to Judiciary
PBA sponsors: GA
H 354 Introduced: 1/25/05
Last Action: 3/2/05 referred to subcommittee on
homeland security
PBA sponsors: GA, NC, SC, TN, VA
The remaining are ERISA (retirement) bills
mostly inactive due to passage of HR 4, which
has some direct effect on local law enforcement
officers. This bill would allow for distribution
from some plans at age 50 as opposed to 55 and
would waive the 10% early withdraw penalty for
certain withdraws by public safety officers.
H 4 Introduced: 7/28/06
Last action: Passed 8/17/06
PBA sponsors: none
While the SS PBA agenda item on “meet and
confer” had no directly related bills, a
collective bargaining bill for law enforcement
officers was introduced in both chambers. Both
bills died.
H 1249 Introduced: 3/10/05
Last action: 4/18/05 referred to subcommittee on
employee relations
PBA sponsors: AL, AR, GA, MS, NC, TN, VA
S 513 Introduced: 3/3/05
Last action: 3/3/05 referred to committee on
labor
PBA sponsors: AR
Although not part of the SS PBA agenda for the
109th Congress but passed in 2005 as part of the
PBA agenda for the 110th Congress, the SS PBA
Board of Directors included an item to protect
the personal information of law enforcement
officers from public release. The 109th Congress
has taken up three bills, which attempt to
address this growing problem, HR 1710 and HR
1751 and S 1968. The best opportunity, HR 1751
went from the House to Senate and returned to
House with Senate amendments, where it died.
H 1710 Introduced: 4/19/05
Last action: 5/10/05 added to HR 1751
PBA sponsors: none
H 1751 Introduced: 4/21/05
Last action: 12/7/06 amended by Senate sent to
House
PBA sponsors: LA, SC
S 1968 Introduced: 11/7/05
Last action: 11/7/05 referred to Judiciary
PBA sponsors: none
The Governmental Affairs department looks
forward to working with the 110th Congress to
pass bills of interest to our membership.
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