118th US Congress Update February 2023

Mar 1, 2023

Southern States Police Benevolent Association, Inc.

Governmental Affairs

118^th US Congress Update

February 2023

NEW BILLS of INTEREST

HR 719 Amend Labor Management Relations Act

This bill would amend the Labor Management Relations Act to prohibit neutrality agreements.

Intro: 2/1/2023 Rep. Good (VA-5) Status: Education and workforce

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Sponsor Good, Ogles (TN-5)

HR 721 Union Integrity Act

This bill would amend the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to provide whistleblower protection for union employees.

Intro: 2/1/2023 Rep. Good (VA-5) Status: Education & Workforce

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Sponsor Good, Ogles (TN-5)

HR 741 Bonus Protection Act

This bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide that an employee’s “regular rate” for purposes of calculating overtime compensation will not be affected by certain additional payments.

Intro: 2/2/2023 Rep. Calvert ((CA-41) Status: Education & Workforce

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: none

HR 743 Protect and Serve Act

This bill would amend title 18, United States Code, to punish criminal offenses targeting law enforcement officers.

Intro: 2/2/2023 Rep. Rutherford (FL-5() Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: none

HR 781 Amend Fair Labor Standards Act

This bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to clarify the status of an independent contractor.

Intro: 2/2/2023 Rep. Ferguson (GA-3) Status: Education & Workforce

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Sponsor Ferguson, Miller (WV-1), Scott (GA-8), Moore (AL-2), Carl (AL-1)

HR 789 Amend Family and Medical Leave Act

This bill would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to permit leave to care for a domestic partner, parent-in-law, or adult child, or another related individual, who has a serious health condition, and to allow employees to take, as additional leave, parental involvement and family wellness leave to participate in or attend their children's and grandchildren's educational and extracurricular activities or meet family care needs.

Intro: 2/2/2023 Rep. Hayes (CT-5) Status: Education and Workforce

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: Thompson (MS-2)

Republicans: none

HR 843 Federal Law Enforcement Body Cams

This bill would require Federal law enforcement officers to wear body cameras.

Intro: 2/6/2023 Rep. Norton (DC) Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: Beyer (VA-8)

Republicans: none

HR 852 Civilian Traffic Enforcement

This bill would direct the Attorney General to establish a grant program for civilian traffic violation enforcement.

Intro: 2/7/2023 Rep. Torres (NY-15) Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: none

HR 957 Amend IRS Rules on Retirement Plans

This bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the amount excluded from gross income by reason of distributions from governmental retirement plans for health and long-term care insurance for public safety officers.

Intro: 2/9/2023 Rep. Spanberger (VA-7) Status: Ways & Means

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: Sponsor Spanberger

Republicans: none

HR 1084 Amend Fair Labor Standards Act

This bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exclude certain activities from hours worked.

Intro: 2/17/2023 Rep. Hinson (IA-2) Status: Education & Workforce

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: none

HR 1200 Labor Union Free Choice

This bill would preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities.

Intro: 2/27/2023 Rep. Wilson (SC-2) Status: Education & Workforce

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Sponsor Wilson, Duncan (SC-3),Ferguson(GA-3), Graves (LA-6), Carter (GA-1), Ezell (MS-4), Timmons (SC-4), DesJariais (TN-4), Comer (KY-1), Mooney (WV-2), Moore (AL-2), Wittman (VA-1), Mace (SC-1), McHenry (NC-10), Ogles (TN-5), Norman (SC-5), Fry (SC-7)

S 242 Caring For Families

This bill would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to permit leave to care for a domestic partner, parent-in-law, or adult child, or another related individual, who has a serious health condition, and to allow employees to take, as additional leave, parental involvement and family wellness leave to participate in or attend their children’s and grandchildren’s educational and extracurricular activities or meet family care needs.

Intro: 2/2/2023 Sen. Durbin (IL) Status: Health, Education,& Labor

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: none

S 262 Worker Surveillance and Data

This bill would prohibit, or require disclosure of, the surveillance, monitoring, and collection of certain worker data by employers.

Intro: 2/2/2023 Sen. Casey (PA) Status: Health, Education & Labor

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: none

S 532 Labor Union Free Choice

This bill would preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities.

Intro: 2/27/2023 Sen. Paul (KY) Status: Calendared

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Sponsor Paul, Blackburn (TN), Wicker (MS), Scott (SC), Boozman (AR), Hyde-Smith (MS), Tuberville (AL), Cassidy (LA)

New Firearm Bills

House

698      Regulate Assault Weapons

715      Firearm Background Checks

790      Repeal Firearm Transfer Act

974      Remove Obstacles for Firearm Enforcement

1145    Federal Safe Storage

Senate

173      Safe Storage Law

214      National Concealed Carry

298      Restrict Large Capacity Magazine

494      Background Check All Firearm Purchases

BILL UPDATES (Changes in Red)

Labor

none

Working Conditions

HR 58 Amend Homeland Security to Report on State/Local Law Enforcement

This bill would require an annual reporting of state and local law enforcement activities.

Intro: 1/9/2023 Rep. Jackson-Lee (TX-18) Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: none

HR 130 Thin Blue Line Act

This bill would provide additional aggravating factors for the imposition of the death penalty based on the status of the victim.

Intro: 1/9/2023 Rep. Buchanan (FL-16) Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Norman (SC-5), Graves (LA-6), Kustoff (TN-8)

HR 233 Amend the Revised Statute to Codify Qualified Immunity in Section 1979

This bill would amend the Revised Statute to codify the defense of qualified immunity in the case of any action under section 1979.

Intro: 1/10/2023 Rep. Banks (IN-3) Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Guest (MS-3), Kustoff (TN-8), Clyde (GA-9), Barr (KY-6)

HR 355 Back the Blue Act

This bill would enhance action against those who assault or kill a law enforcement officer.

Intro: 1/13/2023 Rep. Bacon (NE-2) Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Carl (AL-1), Barr (KY-6), Allen (GA-12)

HR 374 Abolish BATFE

This bill would abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives.

Intro: 1/17/2023 Rep. Gaetz (FL-1) Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Collins (GA-10)

Benefits

HR 82 Social Security Fairness Act

This bill would eliminate the “windfall elimination” provision and other modifications to Social Security benefits.

Intro: 1/9/2023 Rep. Graves (LA-6) Status: Ways & Means

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: Spanberger (VA-7), Bishop (GA-2), Adams (NC-12), Ross (NC-2), Connolly (VA-11), Williams (GA-5), Carter (LA-2), Thompson (MS-2), Wexton (VA-10)

Republicans: Sponsor Graves (LA-6), Comer (KY-1), Letlow (LA-5), Higgins (LA-2), Johnson (LA-4), Massie (KY-4), Moore (AL-2), Barr (KY-6), Carl (AL-1), Rogers (KY-5), Crawford (AR-1)

HR 472 PTSD & Acute Stress Disorder Treatment for Public Safety Officers

This bill would require the Attorney general propose treatment program for public safety officers experiencing PTSD or Acute Stress Disorder.

Intro: 1/24/2023 Rep. Joyce (OH-14) Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: Ross (NC-2)

Republicans: none

S 166 Amend Family & Medical Leave Act

This bill would amend FMLA to provide leave for loss of unborn child.

Intro: 1/31/2023 Sen. Cotton (AR) Status: Finance

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: Boozman (AR), Budd (NC), Hyde-Smith (MS), Wicker (MS)

S 167 Prohibit Vaccination Mandates for COVID-19

This bill would Prohibit Vaccination Mandates for COVID-19.

Intro: 1/31/2023 Sen. Cruz (TX) Status: Judiciary

Cosponsors from SSPBA states:

Democrats: none

Republicans: none

Firearm Bills

House

38        National Concealed Carry

46        Mental Health Info to NCIC

151      Changes to Shotgun Regulation

173      Changes to Rifle Regulation

283      Prohibit Federal “Red Flag”

354      National Conceal Carry for Law Enforcement

363      Prohibit Firearms for Pot Users

381      Redefine Pistol/Modified Rifle

385      Prohibit Firearm “User” Fees

569      Handgun Licensing

584      Ammunition Purchase Restrictions

625      Regulate Ammo Magazines

646      Redefine “Firearms” in National Firearms Act

660      Safe Storage Law

667      Expand 3-Day Waiting Period

Senate

14        Prohibit Firearms to under 21 Year Olds

25        Assault Weapons Ban

117      Fund Handgun Licensing

118      Enhance Firearm Law Enforcement

163      Redefine “Firearms” in National Firearms Act

To read text of listed bills click on the Library of Congress link below then enter bill #.

https://www.congress.gov