Back the Blue Act of 2021
Summary
Back the Blue Act of 2021 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; and limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge. 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.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2021
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced May 12, 2021
Last action May 12, 2021
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
May 12, 2021
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
upper
May 12, 2021
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 21 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
John Cornyn
RRepublican
Co
Bill Cassidy
RRepublican
Co
Bill Hagerty
RRepublican
Co
Cindy Hyde-Smith
RRepublican
Co
Deb Fischer
RRepublican
Co
James E. Risch
RRepublican
Co
James Lankford
RRepublican
Co
James M. Inhofe
RRepublican
Co
Jerry Moran
RRepublican
Co
John Boozman
RRepublican
Co
John Thune
RRepublican
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