S. 4643

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4643 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4643

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit harming animals used 
in law enforcement, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 21, 2026

Mrs. Moody introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit harming animals used 
in law enforcement, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``LEO K9 Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. HARMING ANIMALS USED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Section 1368 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
``(b) Whoever, in the commission of any act described in subsection 
(a), uses a deadly or dangerous weapon (including a weapon intended to 
cause death or danger but that fails to do so by reason of a defective 
component), shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 
15 years, or both.
``(c) In this section, the term `police animal' means a dog or 
horse in the service of a Federal agency (whether in the executive, 
legislative, or judicial branch), or in the service of a State, county, 
or local agency that is assisting a Federal agency--
``(1) for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection 
of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or the apprehension 
of criminal offenders, the detection of flammable materials, 
the investigation of fires, the detection of missing persons 
(including persons who are lost, who are trapped under debris 
as the result of a natural, manmade, or technological disaster, 
or who are drowning victims); or
``(2) used in any official military capacity by the 
Department of Defense.
``(d) This section does not apply to a person who acts in good 
faith to provide emergency veterinary care to an injured police 
animal.''.

SEC. 3. MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION FOR POLICE DOGS INJURED IN OFFICIAL 
DUTY.

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Office of Emergency 
Medical Services Initiatives at the National Highway Transportation 
Safety Administration, shall publish guidance for emergency medical 
services personnel in order to care for police dogs injured while such 
police dog is engaged in official duties of the dog. The Secretary 
shall develop such guidance using existing Federal guidelines of the 
Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the Canine 
Tactical Combat Casualty Care Guidelines, and other resources already 
available at Federal agencies. The Secretary may consult accredited 
veterinarians, as necessary, in developing the guidance under this 
section.

SEC. 4. REGULATIONS FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

Not later than 240 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Transportation shall promulgate regulations to ensure 
that--
(1) a police dog injured while such police dog is engaged 
in official duties of the dog may be transported to a 
veterinary clinic or similar facility if there is no individual 
requiring medical attention or transport at that time; and
(2) a paramedic or an emergency medical technician may 
provide emergency medical care to a police dog while such 
police dog is engaged in official duties of the dog while at 
the scene of the emergency or while the police dog is being 
transported to a veterinary clinic or similar facility.

SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

In this Act, the term ``police dog'' means a police animal (as such 
term is defined in section 1368 of title 18, United States Code) that 
is a dog, and includes a similar dog working in the service of a State, 
county, or local agency.
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