← Back to Bills
S. 571Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Officer John Barnes Act

Sponsored by Ted CruzSen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Introduced February 13, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 24, 2025 at 2:38 AM UTC

The Officer John Barnes Act sets a time limit for the federal Bureau to decide whether a claimant is eligible for certain benefits under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. It mandates that the decision be communicated to the claimant no later than 270 days after the claim is received, aiming to speed up the benefits determination process for individuals filing such claims.

Key Provisions

  • Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to require the Bureau to notify claimants of their benefit eligibility decision within 270 calendar days after a claim is filed.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

February 13, 2025

View full timeline
SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 13, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

February 13, 2025

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Raw Text PDF XML
Introduced in SenateIssued February 13, 2025

II

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 571

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 13, 2025

Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Justice, and Mr. Lankford) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To require benefit eligibility determinations to be made within a certain period of time.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Officer John Barnes Act.

2.

Eligibility determination

Section 1205 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10285) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(f)

Not later than 270 calendar days after receiving a claim filed under this subpart, the Bureau shall inform the claimant of the Bureau’s determination as to the claimant’s benefit eligibility.

.