WASHINGTON, DC- At a time when police officers once again find themselves under attack in cities such as Los Angeles, a bill now will go before the United States Senate and, if passed, will head to the desk of President Trump to be signed into law.
H.R. 2243, the LEOSA Reform Act, would, among other things, broaden the authority of law enforcement officers to carry firearms across state lines. It would allow “qualified active and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms and ammunition (including magazines) in school zones; in national parks; on state, local, or private property that is open to the public; and in certain federal facilities that are open to the public.”
The bill would also permit “states to reduce the frequency with which retired law enforcement officers must meet certain qualification standards.” Under that provision, states would be permitted to extend the period between training certifications for retired police officers from 12 months to 36 months.
The measure passed in the Republican-controlled House on a mostly partisan vote, with 215 Republicans voting in favor, along with 14 Democrats. Five Republicans and 6 Democrats did not vote. 193 Democrats voted against the measure.
Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, praised the news and is hoping the Senate, controlled by Republicans, will advance the bill to the desk of President Trump, who, given his strong support of police officers, would likely sign it into law, West Orlando News Online reported.
“This has been a priority of the FOP for some time now,” Yoes said. “We’re grateful to Representative Bacon, who has been a leader and our partner on this issue since he was first elected to the House.”
The legislation has been forwarded to the Senate Judiciary Committee for markup, where lawmakers will review the text, propose amendments, and decide whether to advance it.
The FOP also supports H.R. 2255, the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act of 2025, which the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association backs as well. That bill would direct the General Services Administration to establish a program whereby a federal law enforcement officer may purchase a retired firearm from the agency that issued the firearm to the officer.
H.R. 2255 passed by a vote of 234-182, with all Republicans voting in favor along with 20 Democrats.
Finally, both organizations support H.R. 2240, the “Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act.”
That proposal, advanced to the Senate and being at the Senate Judiciary Committee, “requires the Department of Justice to report on (1) targeted attacks on law enforcement officers, (2) the feasibility of incorporating such attacks into existing crime reporting systems, and (3) the mental health resources that are available to law enforcement officers.”
That bill passed the House on a bipartisan basis, with 403 voting in favor, and 11 (Democrats) voting against.
Democratic Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) were among those who voted against the measure.
“In the last Congress, all three of these bills passed the House,” Yoes said. “We look forward to working with our partners to build on this momentum and get them to the President’s desk.”
