Back the Blue Act of 2019
Latest action · Jan 30, 2020 Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedDec 11, 2019
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Back the Blue Act of 2019
This bill establishes new criminal offenses for killing, assaulting, and fleeing to avoid prosecution for killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer.
Additionally, the bill
- expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor, or firefighter or other first responder;
- broadens the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms;
- limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge; and
- limits the recovery of compensatory damages and prohibits the recovery of attorney's fees by an individual for a violation of rights that occurred as a result of (or in the course of) conduct that constitutes a felony or crime of violence.
Finally, it directs the Department of Justice to make grants to law enforcement agencies and nongovernmental organizations to promote trust and improve relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
Cosponsors 4
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Dec 11, 2019 to Jan 14, 2020; 3 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-OH | Bill Johnson | Original | Dec 11, 2019 |
| R-LA | Garret Graves | Original | Dec 11, 2019 |
| R-OH | Steve Stivers | Original | Dec 11, 2019 |
| R-CA | Paul Cook | Jan 14, 2020 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred Dec 11, 2019 |
| Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee | Referred Jan 30, 2020 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jan 30, 2020Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
- Dec 11, 2019Introduced in House
- Dec 11, 2019Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 165, no. 198, December 11, 2019, page H10124.
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 1480 | Back the Blue Act of 2019 | Identical bill | May 15, 2019 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To protect law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Back the Blue Act of 2019
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.
- Assault and harassment offenses
- Civil actions and liability
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
- Criminal procedure and sentencing
- Detention of persons
- Firearms and explosives
- Fires
- First responders and emergency personnel
- Judges
- Law enforcement administration and funding
- Law enforcement officers
- Legal fees and court costs
- Violent crime
- Worker safety and health
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Dec 11, 2019Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
