Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Apr 29, 2016
Honoring Emergency Response Officers Benefits Reform Act of 2016 or the HERO Benefits Reform Act of 2016
This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to establish, with respect to a public safety officer's death benefits, a rebuttable presumption that: (1) the officer acted properly at the time of injury or death, and (2) specified limitations on the officer's benefits do not apply.
The bill also extends such benefits to fire police officers and fire investigators.
In addition, with respect to an appeal of a determination to deny such benefits, the bill: (1) specifies that the standard of review shall be de novo (without deference to the determination), and (2) establishes certain exceptions to administrative exhaustion limitations.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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