Washington, DC - Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, applauded the news that Senator John N. Kennedy (R-LA) reintroduced the “LEOSA Reform Act” in the Senate. The bill, S. 1462, has two other original cosponsors.

“Law enforcement officers are targets—in uniform and out, on-duty and off. The Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act (LEOSA) provides that qualified active and retired officers can protect themselves and others even if off duty or after their service,” Yoes said. “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.”

The bill amends the LEOSA, which exempts qualified active and retired law enforcement officers from local and State prohibitions on the carriage of concealed firearms, which ensure that these officers can carry in the same venues as civilian concealed carry permit holders such as schools, national parks, and “common carriers.” The bill also extends the exemption to magazine capacity and would allow active and retired law enforcement officers to access services in U.S. Post Offices, Social Security Administration offices, Veterans Affairs offices, or other Federal facilities without disarming or securing their firearms elsewhere. It would also allow States to affirmatively act to extend the period between training certifications for qualified retired law enforcement officers from 12 months to up to 36 months.

“I am very proud of the work that Senator Kennedy and the FOP have done together on this bill,” said Yoes. “I look forward to that partnership continuing as we move this bill forward.”

The Fraternal Order of Police is the largest law enforcement labor organization in the United States, with more than 364,000 members.