[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1031 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1031

 To protect Federal law enforcement officers who intervene in certain 
          situations to protect life or prevent bodily injury.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 17, 1997

  Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mr. D'Amato) introduced the following 
    bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To protect Federal law enforcement officers who intervene in certain 
          situations to protect life or prevent bodily injury.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Law Enforcement Officers' 
Good Samaritan Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO INTERVENE IN 
              CERTAIN SITUATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE OR TO PREVENT BODILY 
              INJURY.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``bodily injury'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 1365(g) of title 18, United States Code;
            (2) the term ``crime of violence'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 16 of title 18, United States Code;
            (3) the term ``law enforcement officer'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 8401 of title 5, United States Code; 
        and
            (4) the term ``serious bodily injury'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 1365(g) of title 18, United States 
        Code.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, for purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, a law 
enforcement officer shall be construed to be acting within the scope of 
his or her office or employment, if the officer takes any action, 
including the use of force, that is determined by the officer to be 
necessary to--
            (1) protect an individual in the presence of the officer 
        from the imminent infliction of serious bodily injury;
            (2) provide immediate assistance to an individual who has 
        suffered or who is threatened with serious bodily injury; or
            (3) prevent the escape of any individual whom the officer 
        reasonably believes to have committed in the presence of the 
        officer a crime of violence.
                                 <all>