Senate Passes Bill to Speed Up, Expand Public Safety Officer Benefits
The Senate passed bipartisan legislation to reform the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program (PSOB) by speeding up benefit determinations and expanding eligibility for certain permanently disabled officers.
The Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program Expansion Act of 2026 (S. 3897) requires a number of changes to PSOB, including setting a 270-day deadline for benefit determinations. As Senate sponsors point out, it can currently take “years for applicants to learn if they qualify for payments.”
Congress established the program in 1976 to provide death benefits to survivors of public safety officers who die in the line of duty and to provide disability benefits to officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty. It is administered by the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).
The new legislation would do the following:
Requires the BJA to complete a death or disability determination within 270 days of receiving a complete claim;
Requires the BJA to use its subpoena authority if a public agency fails to provide requested documentation in relation to a claimant’s case;
Extends partial PSOB eligibility to officers who are permanently, but not totally, disabled and are unable to perform any gainful work as a public safety officer as a direct result of the injury;
Expedite processing for officers already certified for benefits through the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) or the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF);
Directs BJA to implement Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations to establish updated program processes and administrative procedures.
The legislation has the support of over 30 law enforcement organizations, including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA).
“This legislation delivers long-overdue reforms that will ensure fallen officers’ families and permanently disabled public safety professionals receive timely, fair, and predictable access to the benefits they have earned through their service and sacrifice,” said FLEOA National President Mathew Silverman.
The bill now goes to the House, where its sponsors are urging lawmakers to pass it.
“I’m grateful for our partners in the Senate for their work to move this bill forward, and the House must do the same – our law enforcement officers are counting on us,” said one of the sponsors, Rep. Dave Min (D-CA).
