Federal

Thin Blue Line Act

Source: Congress.gov · 396 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill adds a new reason that courts can consider when deciding whether to apply the death penalty in murder cases. It allows courts to view the killing or targeting of public safety officers as a factor that makes a death penalty sentence more likely. The bill applies to people authorized by law to prevent, investigate, or prosecute crimes, as well as firefighters and other first responders.

Who It Affects

People convicted of murder who kill or target law enforcement officers, firefighters, or other first responders. Federal courts deciding whether to apply the death penalty in these cases.

Key Provisions

• Courts can consider the death penalty as a factor when a defendant killed or attempted to kill a person authorized by law to engage in crime prevention, detention, investigation, prosecution, or incarceration while that person was performing their official duties (Sec. 2) • Courts can consider the death penalty as a factor when a defendant killed or attempted to kill a person because of that person's performance of their official duties (Sec. 2) • Courts can consider the death penalty as a factor when a defendant killed or attempted to kill a person because of that person's status as a public official or employee (Sec. 2)

What Changes

Federal law will add killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or first responder as an aggravating factor (a reason to impose harsher penalties) that courts must consider in death penalty cases.

Important Definitions

None defined in bill text.

II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 459 To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide enhanced penalties for convicted murderers who kill or target America’s public safety officers. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 15, 2023 Mr. BRAUN (for himself, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. SCHMITT, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. HAGERTY, Mr. HOEVEN, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. BOOZMAN, and Mr. BUDD) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide enhanced penalties for convicted murderers who kill or target America’s public safety officers. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Thin Blue Line Act’’. 4 SEC. 2. AGGRAVATING FACTORS FOR DEATH PENALTY. 5 Section 3592(c) of title 18, United States Code, is 6 amended by inserting after paragraph (16) the following: 7 ‘‘(17) KILLING OR TARGETING OF LAW EN- 8 FORCEMENT OFFICERS.— 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Mar 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S459.IS S459 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 459 IS ‘‘(A) The defendant killed or attempted to 1 kill, in a circumstance described in subpara- 2 graph (B), a person who is authorized by law— 3 ‘‘(i) to engage in or supervise the pre- 4 vention, detention, investigation, or pros- 5 ecution of, or the incarceration of any per- 6 son for, any criminal violation of law; 7 ‘‘(ii) to apprehend, arrest, or pros- 8 ecute an individual for any criminal viola- 9 tion of law; or 10 ‘‘(iii) to be a firefighter or other first 11 responder. 12 ‘‘(B) A circumstance referred to in sub- 13 paragraph (A) is that the person was killed or 14 targeted— 15 ‘‘(i) while he or she was engaged in 16 the performance of his or her official du- 17 ties; 18 ‘‘(ii) because of the performance of his 19 or her official duties; or 20 ‘‘(iii) because of his or her status as 21 a public official or employee.’’. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Mar 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S459.IS S459 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

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