,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #abdg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april #b1     
#bjbe,mr4 ,schmitt introduced the       
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,health1 
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a   
,,bill  ,to ensure the ability of public
 safety officers to retain their right  
to free speech on matters related to    
public safety1 working conditions1 and  
other matters4  #a4 ,short title ,this  
,act may be cited as the ,public ,safety
 ,free ,speech ,act4  #b4 ,definitions  
,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,covered employee   
,the term covered employee means-- 7,a7 
a qualified law enforcement officer 7as 
defined in section #ibf;,b7c7 of title  
#ah1 ,united ,states ,code72  7,b7 an   
individual employed by an employer for  
the purposes of providing fire-fighting 
services or emergency medical services2 
or  7,c7 a ,federal firefighter         
described in section #hcca7ba7 or       
#hdja7ad7 of title #e1 ,united ,states  

,code4  7#b7 ,employer ,the term        
employer means-- 7,a7 a law enforcement 
agency1 fire department1 fire district1 
or emergency medical services agency    
which employs a covered employee on     
either a full-time or part-time basis2  
or  7,b7 a county1 township1 village1   
city1 municipality1 special district1   
fire authority1 county improvement      
district1 authority1 public entity with 
the authority to spend or receive public
 funds1 or other political subdivisions 
of a ,state and includes any entity     
jointly created by #b or more public    
employers4  7#c7 ,personally            
identifiable information ,the term      
personally identifiable information     
means information-- 7,a7 that directly  
identifies an individual1 including     
name1 address1 social security number or
 other identifying number or code1      
telephone number1 email address2 or     
7,b7 by which an organization is able to
 identify specific individuals in       
conjunction with other data elements4   

#c4 ,cause of action for violating the  
right to free speech  7a7 ,in general   
,notwithstanding any other provision of 
law1 a covered employee may bring an    
action against an employer if the       
employer engages in termination or any  
adverse employment action against the   
employee for making oral or written     
statements expressing the employee's    
personal opinion on matters pertaining  
to-- 7#a7 delivery of public safety     
services2  7#b7 employee compensation or
 benefits2  7#c7 working conditions or  
scheduling1 including the provision of  
personal protective equipment1 work     
tools and equipment1 or work vehicles2  
7#d7 employer's policies or procedures2 
7#e7 other expectations or requirements 
that the employer places on a covered   
employee as a term or condition of their
 employment2 or  7#f7 political and     
religious opinions4  7b7 ,relief ,a     
plaintiff that prevails in an action    
under subsection 7a7 may receive actual 
damages1 compensatory damages1 punitive 

damages1 injunctive relief1 any         
combination of those1 attorneys' fees   
and costs1 and any other appropriate    
relief4  7c7 ,limitations ,subsection   
7a7 shall not apply to written or oral  
comments that-- 7#a7 are made while the 
covered employee is on duty2  7#b7      
express any encouragement of1 or intent1
 to commit violence or other illegal    
actions2  7#c7 advocate for             
discrimination or support favoritism    
when discharging their professional     
duties2  7#d7 intentionally disclose    
confidential or personally identifiable 
information pertaining to specific      
individuals with whom the covered       
employee has interacted with in the     
course of performing their work or other
 job-related duties2 or  7#e7 suggest1  
advocate for1 support1 or otherwise     
communicate that essential services     
should be withheld1 delayed1 or         
diminished as a form of job action or   
protest4  ,this ,act shall not be       
construed to preempt1 preclude1 or      

supersede section #aigi of the ,revised 
,statutes 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aihc7 or any  
,state law that provides a cause of     
action for deprivation of rights under  
color of law4