119-s2452

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2452 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2452

 To amend the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act to provide for 
 advancements in public safety services to Indian communities, and for 
 other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 24, 2025

 Ms. Cantwell (for herself and Mr. Mullin) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian 
 Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act to provide for 
 advancements in public safety services to Indian communities, and for 
 other purposes.

 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 ``Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

 The Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act is amended by inserting after 

section 4 (25 U.S.C. 2803) the following:

``

SEC. 4A. TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

 ``

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal 
law, law enforcement officers of an Indian tribe that have contracted 
or compacted any or all Federal law enforcement functions through a 
contract or compact entered into pursuant to the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) 
(referred to in this section as `Tribal officers') shall have the 
authority to enforce Federal law within the area under the jurisdiction 
of the Indian tribe if--
 ``

    (1) the applicable Tribal officers have--
 ``
        (A) completed training that is comparable to that 
 of an employee of the Office of Justice Services of the 
 Bureau who is providing the same services in Indian 
 country, as determined by the Deputy Bureau Director of 
 the Office of Justice Services of the Bureau (or a 
 designee);
 ``
        (B) passed an adjudicated background 
 investigation equivalent to that of an employee of the 
 Office of Justice Services of the Bureau who is 
 providing the same services in Indian country; and
 ``
            (C) received a certification from the Office of 
 Justice Services of the Bureau, as described in 
 subsection
            (c) ; and
 ``

    (2) the Indian tribe has adopted policies and procedures 
 that meet or exceed those of the Office of Justice Services of 
 the Bureau for the same program, service, function, or 
 activity.
 ``

    (b) Deemed To Be Federal Law Enforcement Officers.--Subject to 
the guidance issued by the Secretary pursuant to subsection
            (c) (1)
        (B) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, while acting under the 
authority granted by the Secretary through a contract or compact 
entered into pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.), a Tribal officer shall be 
deemed to be--
 ``

    (1) a Federal law enforcement officer for the purposes 
 of--
 ``
        (A) sections 111 and 1114 of title 18, United 
 States Code;
 ``
        (B) chapters 83 and 84 of title 5, United States 
 Code; and
 ``
            (C) chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code 
 (commonly known as the `Federal Tort Claims Act'); and
 ``

    (2) an eligible officer under subchapter III of chapter 
 81 of title 5, United States Code.
 ``
            (c) Certification.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
 enactment of the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act, the 
 Secretary shall--
 ``
        (A) notwithstanding 

section 5, develop procedures 
 for the credentialing of Tribal officers under this 
 section to provide confirmation that Tribal officers 
 meet minimum certification standards and training 
 requirements for Indian country peace officers, as 
 prescribed by the Secretary; and
 ``
        (B) notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
 issue guidance, in consultation with Indian tribes, to 
 otherwise implement this section, ensuring that, in 
 implementing subsection

    (b)

    (1)
        (B) , the guidance--
 ``
            (i) provides for the voluntary 
 participation by Tribal officers, on a 
 position-by-position basis;
 ``
            (ii) allows Tribal officers to purchase 
 service credit for prior years of service 
 consistent with the guidance issued by the 
 Secretary under this subparagraph;
 ``
            (iii) allows for the participation of 
 Tribal officers, the salaries of which are 
 funded in whole or in part by grants from the 
 Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 
 of the Department of Justice or any other 
 agency in the Department of Justice; and
 ``
            (iv) recognizes that Tribal officers may 
 participate if the Indian tribes of those 
 Tribal officers have a mandatory retirement age 
 that exceeds the applicable Federal mandatory 
 retirement age for Federal law enforcement 
 officers.
 ``

    (2) IPA bridge program.--Tribal officers who choose to 
 attend a State or other equivalent training program approved by 
 the Deputy Bureau Director of the Office of Justice Services of 
 the Bureau (or a designee) rather than attend the Indian Police 
 Academy shall be required to attend the Bridge Program of the 
 Indian Police Academy, or an equivalent program, prior to 
 receiving a certification under this subsection.''.

SEC. 3. OVERSIGHT, COORDINATION, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

 The Attorney General, acting through the Deputy Attorney General, 
shall coordinate and provide oversight for all Department of Justice 
activities, responsibilities, functions, and programs to ensure a 
coordinated approach for public safety in Indian communities, 
accountability, and compliance with Federal law, including--

    (1) the timely submission of reports to Congress;

    (2) robust training, as required under Federal law and as 
 needed or requested by Indian Tribes or Federal and State 
 officials relating to--
        (A) public safety in Indian communities; and
        (B) training outcomes demonstrating a better 
 understanding of public safety approaches in Indian 
 communities;

    (3) the updating of, and improvements to, United States 
 Attorney operational plans;

    (4) comprehensive evaluation and analysis of data, 
 including approaches to collecting better data, relating to 
 public safety in Indian communities; and

    (5) other duties or responsibilities as needed to improve 
 public safety in Indian communities.
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