,,ii ,calendar ,no4 #eac #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bidd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ah1 #bjaf,mr4 ,grassley 7for himself1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,hatch1 ,mr4 ,blunt1 ,mr4 ,schumer1 and ,mr4 ,coons7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,june #i1 #bjaf,reported by ,mr4 ,grassley1 with amendments,omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic ,a ,,bill ,to require adequate reporting on the ,public ,safety ,officers' ,benefit program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,public ,safety ,officers' ,benefits ,improvement ,act of #bjaf4 #b4 ,reports ,section #abje of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cgif;c7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 by inserting ,rules1 regulations1 and procedures issued under this part may include regulations based on standards developed by another ,federal agency for programs related to public safety officer death or disability claims4 after before the ,bureau42 before the last sentence2 7#b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 by inserting 7#a7 before ,in making2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,in making a determination under section #abja1 the ,bureau shall give substantial weight to the evidence and all findings of fact presented by a ,state1 local1 or ,federal administrative or investigative agency regarding eligibility for death or disability benefits4 2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7e7 7#a7 7,a7 ,not later than #cj days after the date of enactment of this subsection1 the ,bureau shall make available on the public website of the ,bureau information on all death1 disability1 and educational assistance claims submitted under this part that are pending as of the date on which the information is made available4 7,b7 ,not less frequently than once per week1 the ,bureau shall make available on the public website of the ,bureau updated information with respect to all death1 disability1 and educational assistance claims submitted under this part that are pending as of the date on which the information is made available4 7,c7 ,the information made available under this paragraph shall include-- 7i7 for each pending claim-- 7,i7 the date on which the claim was submitted to the ,bureau2 7,,ii7 the ,state of residence of the claimant2 7,,iii7 an anonymized1 identifying claim number2 and 7,,iv7 the nature of the claim2 and 7ii7 the total number of pending claims that were submitted to the ,bureau more than #a year before the date on which the information is made available4 7#b7 7,a7 ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this subsection1 and every #ahj days thereafter1 the ,bureau shall submit to ,congress a report on the death1 disability1 and educational assistance claims submitted under this part during the #ahj-;day period preceding the report4 7,b7 ,each report submitted under subparagraph 7,a7 shall include information on-- 7i7 the total number of claims1 and the nature of each claim1 submitted to the ,bureau2 7ii7 the number of claims for which a final determination has been made2 7iii7 the number of claims for which a final determination has not been reached and the basis for the delay2 7iv7 the amount of time required to process each claim for which a final determination has been made and1 for any claim which could not be processed within #a year of being submitted to the ,bureau1 the basis for any delay2 7v7 the number of claims submitted that are related to exposure due to the ,september #aath1 #bjja1 terrorism attacks and the average award amount for any such claims for which a final determination has been made2 7vi7 the result of each claim for which a final determination was made during the #ahj-;day period1 including the number of claims rejected and the basis for any denial of benefits2 7vii7 the number of claims that were appealedfor which a final determination was made and appealed during the #ahj-;day period2 7viii7 the average number of claims processed per reviewer of the ,bureau2 and 7ix7 the average amount of time each agency takes to submit all required information and documents to the ,bureau4 7ix7 information on the compliance of the ,bureau with the obligation to offset award amounts under section #abja7;f77#c71 including-- 7,i7 the number of claims that are eligible for compensation under both this part and the ,september #aath ,victim ,compensation ,fund of #bjja 7#di ,u4,s4,c4 #djaja note2 ,public ,law #ajg-db7 7commonly referred to as the ,,vcf72 7,,ii7 for each claim described in subclause 7,i7 for which compensation has been paid under the ,,vcf1 the amount of compensation paid under the ,,vcf2 7,,iii7 the number of claims described in subclause 7,i7 for which the ,bureau has made a final determination2 and 7,,iv7 the number of claims described in subclause 7,i7 for which the ,bureau has not made a final determination4 7#c7 ,not later than #e years after the date of enactment of the ,public ,safety ,officers' ,benefits ,improvement ,act of #bjaf1 and every #e years thereafter1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall-- 7,a7 conduct a study on the compliance of the ,bureau with the obligation to offset award amounts under section #abja7;f77#c72 and 7,b7 submit to ,congress a report on the study conducted under subparagraph 7,a7 that includes an assessment of whether the ,bureau has provided the information required under subparagraph 7,b77ix7 of paragraph 7#b7 of this subsection in each report required under that paragraph4 7#c7 7#d7 ,in this subsection1 the term nature of the claim means whether the claim is a claim for-- 7,a7 benefits under this subpart with respect to the death of a public safety officer2 7,b7 benefits under this subpart with respect to the disability of a public safety officer2 or 7,c7 education assistance under subpart #b4 4 #c4 ,age limitation for children ,section #abab7;c7 of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cgif;d-#a7;c77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,no child and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 no child 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,delayed approvals 7,a7 ,educational assistance application ,if a claim for assistance under this subpart is approved more than #a year after the date on which the application for such assistance is filed with the ,attorney ,general1 the age limitation under this subsection shall be extended by the length of the period-- 7i7 beginning on the day after the date that is #a year after the date on which the application is filed2 and 7ii7 ending on the date on which the application is approved4 7,b7 ,claim for benefits for death or permanent and total disability ,in addition to an extension under subparagraph 7,a71 if any1 for an application for assistance under this subpart that relates to a claim for benefits under subpart #a that was approved more than #a year after the date on which the claim was filed with the ,attorney ,general1 the age limitation under this subsection shall be extended by the length of the period-- 7i7 beginning on the day after the date that is #a year after the date on which the claim for benefits is submitted2 and 7ii7 ending on the date on which the claim for benefits is approved4 4 #d4 ,due diligence in paying benefit claims ,subpart #a of part ,l of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cgif et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #abjf4 ,due diligence in paying benefit claims 7a7 ,in general ,the ,bureau1 with all due diligence1 shall expeditiously attempt to obtain the information and documentation necessary to adjudicate a benefit claim filed under this part1 including a claim for financial assistance under subpart #b4 7b7 ,sufficient information unavailable ,if a benefit claim filed under this part1 including a claim for financial assistance under subpart #b1 is unable to be adjudicated by the ,bureau because of a lack of information or documentation from a third party1 such as a public agency1 the ,bureau may not abandon the benefit claim unless the ,bureau has utilized the investigative tools available to the ,bureau to obtain the necessary information or documentation1 including subpoenas4 4 #e4 ,presumption that officer acted properly ,section #abjb of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cgif;a7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,no benefit and inserting the following3 7a7 ,in general ,no benefit 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,presumption ,in determining whether a benefit is payable under this part1 the ,bureau shall-- 7#a7 presume that none of the limitations described in subsection 7a7 apply2 and 7#b7 have the burden of establishing by clear and convincing evidence that a limitation described in subsection 7a7 applies4 4 #f4 ,effective date2 applicability ,the amendments made by this ,act shall-- 7#a7 take effect on the date of enactment of this ,act2 and 7#b7 apply to any benefit claim or application under part ,l of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cgif et seq47 that is-- 7,a7 pending before the ,bureau of ,justice ,assistance on the date of enactment2 or 7,b7 received by the ,bureau on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4 ,june #i1 #bjaf,reported with amendments