1.This title may be cited as the
Public Safety Officers’ Benefits
Improvements Act of 2012
.
2.Benefits for
certain nonprofit emergency medical service providers; miscellaneous
amendments
(a)Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act
of 1968 (42 U.S.C.
3711 et seq.) is amended—
(1)in section 901(a)
(42 U.S.C.
3791(a))—
(A)in paragraph (26),
by striking and
at the end;
(B)in paragraph (27),
by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
;
and
(C)by adding at the
end the following:
(28)the term
hearing examiner includes any medical or claims
examiner.
;
(2)in section 1201
(42 U.S.C.
3796)—
(A)in subsection (a),
by striking follows:
and all that follows and inserting the
following:
follows (if the payee indicated is
living on the date on which the determination is
made)—(1)if there is no
child who survived the public safety officer, to the surviving spouse of the
public safety officer;
(2)if there is at
least 1 child who survived the public safety officer and a surviving spouse of
the public safety officer, 50 percent to the surviving child (or children, in
equal shares) and 50 percent to the surviving spouse;
(3)if there is no
surviving spouse of the public safety officer, to the surviving child (or
children, in equal shares);
(4)if there is no
surviving spouse of the public safety officer and no surviving child—
(A)to the surviving
individual (or individuals, in shares per the designation, or, otherwise, in
equal shares) designated by the public safety officer to receive benefits under
this subsection in the most recently executed designation of beneficiary of the
public safety officer on file at the time of death with the public safety
agency, organization, or unit; or
(B)if there is no
individual qualifying under subparagraph (A), to the surviving individual (or
individuals, in equal shares) designated by the public safety officer to
receive benefits under the most recently executed life insurance policy of the
public safety officer on file at the time of death with the public safety
agency, organization, or unit;
(5)if there is no
individual qualifying under paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4), to the surviving
parent (or parents, in equal shares) of the public safety officer; or
(6)if there is no
individual qualifying under paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), or (5), to the
surviving individual (or individuals, in equal shares) who would qualify under
the definition of the term child
under section 1204 but for
age.
;
(B)in subsection
(b)—
(i)by
striking direct result of a catastrophic
and inserting
direct and proximate result of a personal
;
(ii)by
striking pay,
and all that follows through the
same
and inserting pay the same
;
(iii)by
striking in any year
and inserting to the public safety
officer (if living on the date on which the determination is
made)
;
(iv)by
striking in such year, adjusted
and inserting with
respect to the date on which the catastrophic injury occurred, as
adjusted
;
(v)by
striking , to such officer
;
(vi)by
striking the total
and all that follows through
For
and inserting for
; and
(vii)by
striking That these
and all that follows through the period, and
inserting That the amount payable under this subsection shall be the
amount payable as of the date of catastrophic injury of such public safety
officer.
;
(C)in subsection
(f)—
(i)in
paragraph (1), by striking , as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 4–622);
or
and inserting a semicolon;
(ii)in
paragraph (2)—
(I)by striking
. Such beneficiaries shall only receive benefits under such section 8191
that
and inserting , such that beneficiaries shall receive only
such benefits under such section 8191 as
; and
(II)by striking the
period at the end and inserting ; or
; and
(iii)by
adding at the end the following:
(3)payments under the
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note;
Public Law
107–42).
;
(D)by amending
subsection (k) to read as follows:
(k)As determined by
the Bureau, a heart attack, stroke, or vascular rupture suffered by a public
safety officer shall be presumed to constitute a personal injury within the
meaning of subsection (a), sustained in the line of duty by the officer and
directly and proximately resulting in death, if—
(1)the public safety
officer, while on duty—
(A)engages in a
situation involving nonroutine stressful or strenuous physical law enforcement,
fire suppression, rescue, hazardous material response, emergency medical
services, prison security, disaster relief, or other emergency response
activity; or
(B)participates in a
training exercise involving nonroutine stressful or strenuous physical
activity;
(2)the heart attack,
stroke, or vascular rupture commences—
(A)while the officer
is engaged or participating as described in paragraph (1);
(B)while the officer
remains on that duty after being engaged or participating as described in
paragraph (1); or
(C)not later than 24
hours after the officer is engaged or participating as described in paragraph
(1); and
(3)the heart attack,
stroke, or vascular rupture directly and proximately results in the death of
the public safety officer,
unless
competent medical evidence establishes that the heart attack, stroke, or
vascular rupture was unrelated to the engagement or participation or was
directly and proximately caused by something other than the mere presence of
cardiovascular-disease risk factors.;
and
(E)by adding at the
end the following:
(n)The public safety
agency, organization, or unit responsible for maintaining on file an executed
designation of beneficiary or executed life insurance policy for purposes of
subsection (a)(4) shall maintain the confidentiality of the designation or
policy in the same manner as the agency, organization, or unit maintains
personnel or other similar records of the public safety
officer.
;
(3)in section 1202
(42 U.S.C.
3796a)—
(A)by striking
death
, each place it appears except the second place it appears,
and inserting fatal
; and
(B)in paragraph (1),
by striking or catastrophic injury
the second place it appears
and inserting , disability, or injury
;
(4)in section 1203
(42 U.S.C.
3796a–1)—
(A)in the section
heading, by striking who have died in the line of duty
and inserting who
have sustained fatal or catastrophic injury in the line of
duty
; and
(B)by striking
who have died in the line of duty
and inserting who have
sustained fatal or catastrophic injury in the line of duty
;
(5)in section 1204
(42 U.S.C.
3796b)—
(A)in paragraph (1),
by striking consequences of an injury that
and inserting
an injury, the direct and proximate consequences of
which
;
(B)in paragraph
(3)—
(i)in
the matter preceding clause (i)—
(I)by inserting
or permanently and totally disabled
after
deceased
; and
(II)by striking
death
and inserting fatal or catastrophic injury
;
and
(ii)by
redesignating clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) as subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C),
respectively;
(C)in paragraph
(5)—
(i)by
striking post-mortem
each place it appears and inserting
post-injury
; and
(ii)by
redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as subparagraphs (A) and (B),
respectively;
(D)in paragraph (7),
by striking public employee member of a rescue squad or ambulance
crew;
and inserting
employee or
volunteer member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew (including a ground or air
ambulance service) that—(A)is a public
agency; or
(B)is (or is a part
of) a nonprofit entity serving the public that—
(i)is
officially authorized or licensed to engage in rescue activity or to provide
emergency medical services; and
(ii)engages in rescue activities or provides
emergency medical services as part of an official emergency response
system;
;
and
(E)in paragraph
(9)—
(i)in
subparagraph (A), by striking as a chaplain, or as a member of a rescue
squad or ambulance crew;
and inserting or as a
chaplain;
;
(ii)in
subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking or
after the semicolon;
(iii)in
subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking the period and inserting ; or
;
and
(iv)by
adding at the end the following:
(D)a member of a
rescue squad or ambulance crew who, as authorized or licensed by law and by the
applicable agency or entity, is engaging in rescue activity or in the provision
of emergency medical
services.
.
(6)in section 1205
(42 U.S.C.
3796c), by adding at the end the following:
(d)Unless expressly
provided otherwise, any reference in this part to any provision of law not in
this part shall be understood to constitute a general reference under the
doctrine of incorporation by reference, and thus to include any subsequent
amendments to the
provision.
;
(7)in each of
subsections (a) and (b) of section 1212 (42 U.S.C. 3796d–1), sections
1213 and 1214 (42 U.S.C. 3796d–2 and 3796d–3), and subsections (b) and (c) of
section 1216 (42
U.S.C. 3796d–5), by striking dependent
each
place it appears and inserting person
;
(8)in section 1212
(42 U.S.C.
3796d–1)—
(A)in subsection
(a)—
(i)in
paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
Subject
and all that follows through , the
and
inserting The
; and
(ii)in
paragraph (3), by striking reduced by
and all that follows
through (B) the amount
and inserting reduced by the
amount
;
(B)in subsection
(c)—
(i)in
the subsection heading, by striking Dependent
; and
(ii)by
striking dependent
;
(9)in paragraphs (2)
and (3) of section 1213(b) (42 U.S.C. 3796d–2(b)), by
striking dependent’s
each place it appears and inserting
person’s
;
(10)in section 1216
(42 U.S.C.
3796d–5)—
(A)in subsection (a),
by striking each dependent
each place it appears and inserting
a spouse or child
; and
(B)by striking
dependents
each place it appears and inserting a
person
; and
(11)in section
1217(3)(A) (42
U.S.C. 3796d–6(3)(A)), by striking described in
and all that follows and inserting an institution of higher education,
as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002);
and
.
(b)Amendment
related to expedited payment for public safety officers involved in the
prevention, investigation, rescue, or recovery efforts related to a terrorist
attackSection 611(a) of the Uniting and Strengthening America by
Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA
PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C. 3796c–1(a)) is amended
by inserting or an entity described in section 1204(7)(B) of the Omnibus
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b(7)(B))
after employed by such agency
.
(c)Technical and
conforming amendmentSection 402(l)(4)(C)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—
(1)by striking
section 1204(9)(A)
and inserting section
1204(10)(A)
; and
(2)by striking
42 U.S.C. 3796b(9)(A)
and inserting 42 U.S.C.
3796b(10)(A)
.
3.Authorization of
appropriations; determinations; appealsThe matter under the heading
public safety
officers benefits
under the heading
Office
of Justice Programs
under title II of division B of
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law
110–161; 121 Stat. 1912;
42 U.S.C.
3796c–2) is amended—
(1)by striking
decisions
and inserting determinations
;
(2)by striking
(including those, and any related matters, pending)
; and
(3)by striking the
period at the end and inserting the following: “:
Provided further, That, on and
after the date of enactment of the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits
Improvements Act of 2012, as to each such statute—
(1)the provisions of
section 1001(a)(4) of such title I (42 U.S.C. 3793(a)(4)) shall
apply;
(2)payment (other than payment made pursuant
to section 611 of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing
Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT
ACT) Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C. 3796c–1)) shall be
made only upon a determination by the Bureau that the facts legally warrant the
payment;
(3)any reference to
section 1202 of such title I shall be deemed to be a reference to paragraphs
(2) and (3) of such section 1202; and
(4)a certification submitted under any such
statute (other than a certification submitted pursuant to section 611 of the
Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to
Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C.
3796c–1)) may be accepted by the Bureau as prima facie evidence
of the facts asserted in the certification:
Provided
further, That, on and after the date of enactment of the
Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Improvements Act of 2012, no appeal shall
bring any final determination of the Bureau before any court for review unless
notice of appeal is filed (within the time specified herein and in the manner
prescribed for appeal to United States courts of appeals from United States
district courts) not later than 90 days after the date on which the Bureau
serves notice of the final determination:
Provided further, That any
regulations promulgated by the Bureau under such part (or any such statute)
before, on, or after the date of enactment of the Public Safety Officers’
Benefits Improvements Act of 2012 shall apply to any matter pending on, or
filed or accruing after, the effective date specified in the
regulations..
4.
(a)Except as provided in subsection (b), the amendments made
by this Act shall—
(1)take effect on the
date of enactment of this Act; and
(2)apply to any
matter pending, before the Bureau of Justice Assistance or otherwise, on the
date of enactment of this Act, or filed or accruing after that date.
(b)
(1)Rescue squads
and ambulance crewsFor a member of a rescue squad or ambulance
crew (as defined in section 1204(7) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended by this Act), the amendments made by this
Act shall apply to injuries sustained on or after June 1, 2009.
(2)Heart attacks,
strokes, and vascular rupturesSection 1201(k) of title I of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended by this Act,
shall apply to heart attacks, strokes, and vascular ruptures sustained on or
after December 15, 2003.
Passed the House of
Representatives June 27, 2012.
Karen L. Haas,
Clerk
July 9, 2012
Read the second time and placed on the
calendar