Local Law Enforcement Support Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8564
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-28: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-05T08:07:22Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Local Law Enforcement Support Act of 2026 (H.R. 8564) aims to broaden federal funding opportunities for local law enforcement agencies through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program and the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. It expands the types of activities these grants can support, focusing on personnel, equipment, technology, and victim services.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 100054(5) of Public Law 119-21 to add new allowable uses of grant funds in subparagraph (A):
- Recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining law enforcement officers.
- Acquiring protective equipment (e.g., body armor, helmets) for officers.
- Combating digital crimes by purchasing digital forensics tools and evidence analysis software for cyber investigations.
- Supporting drone and counter-drone operations for law enforcement.
- Expanding forensic and investigative tools, including:
- Ballistics analysis equipment linked to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) (a federal database for matching bullet casings).
- Rapid DNA instruments (portable devices for quick DNA testing at crime scenes).
- Video analytics software and open-source intelligence software.
- Improving communication and services for victims of violent crimes.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands the list of permissible expenditures under Byrne JAG and COPS programs by adding six new categories (clauses iv through ix) to the existing ones.
- Previously, funds had more limited uses; this bill removes restrictions by inserting these options after clause (iii) and adjusting punctuation for grammatical flow.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Increases flexibility for the Department of Justice (DOJ), which administers these programs, allowing grants to address modern threats like cybercrime, drones, and forensics without new appropriations.
- On citizens: Enhances local police capabilities to fight crime, protect officers, and support violent crime victims, potentially improving public safety and response times.
- On international relations: Minimal direct impact, though tools like cyber forensics could indirectly aid cross-border investigations.
Main Stakeholders
- Local and state law enforcement agencies: Primary beneficiaries, gaining access to funds for personnel and advanced tech.
- Victims of violent crime: Benefit from improved services and communication.
- DOJ and federal grant administrators: Responsible for implementing expanded uses.
- Taxpayers: Funds come from existing federal budgets, so no new spending but reallocation of priorities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Builds on established grant programs without creating new mandates or overriding state authority, maintaining federalism (division of power between federal and state governments).
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; supports the federal spending power under Article I, Section 8, for public safety.
- Political: Signals congressional priority on equipping police amid rising concerns over cyber threats, drones, and officer shortages; introduced by bipartisan sponsors (Mrs. Wagner and Mr. Rutherford) and referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (9)
Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5], Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1], Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3], Rep. Alford, Mark [R-MO-4], Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-28: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-04-28: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-28: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Local Law Enforcement Support Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-28 — PDF (3 pages)