On Capitol Hill
Word from sponsors
Continuing in its mission of protecting the profession, ACU is working to add more sponsors to H.R. 979, the Public Safety Act, originally introduced by Reps. Ted Strickland (D-Ohio), Peter King (R-N.Y.), Tim Holden (D-Pa.) and John Sweeney (R-N.Y.). This important legislation would cut off federal construction and operation funds to states which turn over state prisons to private contractors. New co-sponsors cite frequent escapes, riots and prisoner-on-prisoner violence, as well as state liability exposure in private prisons, as reasons for signing the bill. Currently there are 109 co-sponsors. The American Jail Association has agreed to solicit co-sponsors for this legislation at the request of ACU.
Mental health bills
A companion bill to America’s Law Enforcement and Mental Health Project (H.R. 2594) was introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio). The House bill was introduced by fellow Ohioan, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland. In announcing his decision to introduce the bill in the Senate, DeWine stated, “In Ohio, 18 percent of all prison inmates — the highest percentage in the country — were in mental health programs last year. Law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities simply do not have the means, or the expertise, to properly treat mentally ill inmates.” Both bills would authorize the Attorney General to grant money to states and localities to create 125 pilot mental health court programs over the next five years. Funds would also be provided for specialized training for COs and other law enforcement and mental health court judicial personnel to address the special needs and challenges of nonviolent mentally ill offenders.
Confidential support
U.S. Rep. John Sweeney (R-N.Y.) plans to introduce a bill to secure the confidentiality of personnel records and personal information of COs and other law enforcement workers. This bill goes further than a previous law protecting personal records passed in the last Congress, in that it provides for a protective order in any civil action filed by a prisoner against a CO.
Final rule
The Bureau of Justice Assistance has taken action to amend Enforcement Dependents Assistance, a federal law to extend federal survivors benefits for higher education to the families of COs and other public safety officers — state and federal — who are killed or totally disabled in the line of duty. ACU vigorously fought to have this legislation amended.
CO Caucus
The Congressional Correctional Officers Caucus, formed by Reps. Ted Strickland (D-Ohio), Peter King (R-N.Y.), Tim Holden (D-Pa.), and Steve Horn (R-Calif.) in the 106th Congress, has grown to 46 members. The caucus has been instrumental in bringing correctional issues to the forefront of Congress. The focus of their next panel discussion will be prison privatization. ACU will be leading the charge to highlight the abuses of privateers and the danger to public safety from prison privatization.
