G:\M\16\JOYCOH\JOYCOH_047.XML

..................................................................
(Original Signature of Member)

116TH CONGRESS

H. R.

2D SESSION

To extend public safety officer death benefits to public safety officers whose
death is caused by COVID–19, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. JOYCE of Ohio introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on

A BILL
To extend public safety officer death benefits to public safety
officers whose death is caused by COVID–19, and for
other purposes.
1

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-

2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3
4

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safeguarding Amer-

5 ica’s First Responders Act of 2020’’.
6
7

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS; PURPOSE.

(a) SENSE

OF

8 gress that—
g:\VHLC\052120\052120.014.xml
May 21, 2020 (10:09 a.m.)

(764126 1)

CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-

 G:\M\16\JOYCOH\JOYCOH_047.XML

2
1
2

(1) an infectious disease pandemic known as
COVID–19 exists;

3

(2) to date, there is much still unknown about

4

COVID–19, but it is known that COVID–19 and re-

5

lated complications may be fatal;

6
7

(3) services provided by public safety officers
are nonetheless essential during this pandemic;

8

(4) due to the COVID–19 pandemic and what

9

is currently known about how the disease is spread,

10

public safety officers are uncharacteristically at risk

11

of contracting the disease; and

12

(5) although the Public Safety Officers’ Bene-

13

fits program currently covers deaths and permanent

14

and total disabilities resulting from infectious dis-

15

ease sustained by public safety officers in carrying

16

out their duties, the determination of claims involv-

17

ing personal injuries believed to have resulted from

18

COVID–19 or its complications may be uniquely

19

challenging or delayed given the lack of—

20
21

(A) definitive testing and medical records
at this time; and

22

(B) a definitive uniform body of medical

23

information about how the disease is spread or

24

g:\VHLC\052120\052120.014.xml
May 21, 2020 (10:09 a.m.)

its effects.

(764126 1)

 G:\M\16\JOYCOH\JOYCOH_047.XML

3
1

(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to estab-

2 lish a carefully drawn framework wherein claims under the
3 Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program, arising under
4 the unique circumstances described in subsection (a), can
5 be processed expeditiously and under fair and clear stand6 ards.
7
8

SEC. 3. PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER BENEFITS.

(a) DEATH BENEFITS.—As determined by the Bu-

9 reau of Justice Assistance, unless competent medical evi10 dence establishes that the death of a public safety officer
11 (as defined in section 1204 of title I of the Omnibus Crime
12 Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10284))
13 was directly and proximately caused by something other
14 than COVID–19, COVID–19 (or complications therefrom)
15 suffered by the public safety officer shall be presumed to
16 constitute a personal injury within the meaning of section
17 1201(a) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
18 Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10281(a)), sustained in
19 the line of duty by the officer and directly and proximately
20 resulting in death, if—
21

(1) the officer engaged in a line of duty action

22

or activity between January 1, 2020, and December

23

31, 2021;

24

(2) the officer was diagnosed with COVID–19

25

(or evidence indicates that the officer had COVID–

g:\VHLC\052120\052120.014.xml
May 21, 2020 (10:09 a.m.)

(764126 1)

 G:\M\16\JOYCOH\JOYCOH_047.XML

4
1

19) during the 45-day period beginning on the last

2

day of duty of the officer; and

3

(3) evidence indicates that the officer had

4

COVID–19 (or complications therefrom) at the time

5

of the officer’s death.

6

(b) DISABILITY BENEFITS.—As determined by the

7 Bureau of Justice Assistance, COVID–19 (or complica8 tions therefrom) suffered by a public safety officer shall
9 be presumed to constitute a personal injury within the
10 meaning of section 1201(b) of title I of the Omnibus
11 Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C.
12 10281(b)), sustained in the line of duty by the officer, if—
13

(1) the officer engaged in a line of duty action

14

or activity between January 1, 2020, and December

15

31, 2021; and

16

(2) the officer was diagnosed with COVID–19

17

(or evidence indicates that the officer had COVID–

18

19) during the 45-day period beginning on the last

19

day of duty of the officer.

g:\VHLC\052120\052120.014.xml
May 21, 2020 (10:09 a.m.)

(764126 1)