Bill sets deadlines and new disability tier for public safety officer benefits
Passed one chamberS. 3897Latest action
Sponsor: Kirsten E. Gillibrand · Senator · NY
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Official title: Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program Expansion Act of 2026
119th Congress
Topics: Crime & justice
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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S 3897 sets 270-day claim deadlines, adds partial disability benefits, and eases 9/11 claim approvals for public safety officers.
60-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
S 3897 reforms the federal program that pays benefits to public safety officers and their families when an officer is killed or seriously injured on the job. The bill sets a 90-day deadline for agencies to flag incomplete paperwork and a 270-day deadline to reach a final decision, with an interim payment required if that deadline is missed. It also creates a new partial disability benefit equal to half the standard amount for officers permanently but not totally disabled, and streamlines approval of claims tied to the September 11th attacks.
Who does it affect?
The bill affects active and retired public safety officers, including police, firefighters, and emergency responders, as well as their families filing for death or disability benefits. Federal agencies that handle and supply documents for these claims are also directly affected.
Why does it matter?
Families currently face waits of multiple years without a decision on their claims, and delays from other agencies withholding documents can stall that process further. Officers with serious permanent injuries that end their public safety careers but do not leave them fully unable to work have no path to benefits under existing law.
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Where does it stand?
- IntroducedFeb 24, 2026
- Senate committee
- Senate vote
- HouseYou are here · Aug 10, 2026
- The president's desk
Right now: it passed the Senate, and the official record shows nothing new since. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Held at the desk.