# Back the Blue Act of 2023: What This Bill Actually Does

This bill creates new federal crimes specifically targeting violence against law enforcement officers and other public safety workers. It establishes several new laws that make it a federal offense to kill, attempt to kill, or assault police officers, federal judges, firefighters, and other first responders—both while they're working and even after they've retired from service. The bill also makes it illegal to flee across state lines to avoid prosecution for killing these officials.

The penalties are severe. If someone kills a law enforcement officer or public safety worker, they face at least 10 years in prison, and potentially life in prison or even the death penalty. If someone assaults an officer and causes injury, the prison time ranges from 2 years to 20 years depending on how serious the injury is. The bill also makes it a federal crime to cross state lines specifically to avoid being prosecuted for killing a law enforcement officer, which adds an additional 10-year minimum sentence on top of any other charges.

The bill also makes it easier for law enforcement officers to carry firearms in federal buildings and court facilities, including allowing them to store weapons in secure areas within these buildings. It clarifies that qualified active and retired law enforcement officers can carry concealed weapons in school zones and other restricted areas. Additionally, the bill limits how much convicted murderers of law enforcement officers can appeal their cases in federal court, making it harder for death row inmates to challenge their sentences through federal habeas corpus appeals.

In practical terms, this bill strengthens federal protections for police and first responders by creating dedicated federal crimes for violence against them, while also restricting certain legal appeals for those convicted of killing these officials.

Back the Blue Act of 2023

Bacon, Don

Back the Blue Act of 2023 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 <ul> <li>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; </li> <li>broadens the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms; and</li> <li>limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge.</li> </ul>