Lawmakers Reintroduce Concealed Carry Bill for Retired and Off-Duty Officers
Legislation that would expand the rights of qualified retired and off-duty law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons is reintroduced in both houses of Congress.
The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) Reform Act (H.R. 2243) passed the House in the previous session in a 221-185 vote, but was not taken up by the Senate.
The legislation would allow LEOSA-qualified officers and law enforcement retirees to carry in state, local, and private property open to the public. Concealed carry would also be allowed in national parks, certain federal public access facilities, and school zones.
Supporters say it will allow trained professionals to quickly respond to emergencies such as mass shootings.
“There’s no need to restrict the ability of qualified, well-trained law enforcement officers from being able to provide another level of protection for our communities. This legislation would cut through some of the unnecessary red tape involving concealed-carry rights for police officers,” said Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), one of the Senate sponsors.
The bill would also allow qualified personnel to go into federal facilities including Social Security Administration offices, Veterans Affairs offices, U.S. Post Offices, without disarming their firearms. They could also carry an ammunition magazine of any capacity.
“Many of our retired law enforcement officers are ready to continue serving our community but are unable to due to current law,” said Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX), one of the House sponsors. “This bipartisan legislation will fix the issues that our nation’s off-duty officers and retired cops face while concealed carrying.”
“The bipartisan LEOSA Reform Act offers real solutions to address threats such as terrorism and mass shootings by ensuring that our retired and off-duty law enforcement officers can exercise their right to concealed carry — no matter where they live or visit,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said.
The legislation has the support of law enforcement organizations including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).
FLEOA listed the legislation among their top policy priorities for the new Congress.
“The LEOSA Reform Act doesn’t increase the number of officers who can carry under the statute. Instead, it makes sure our officers are physically safe and protected from legal jeopardy by closing existing loopholes and harmonizing State and Federal laws,” said Fraternal Order of Police National President Patrick Yoes.