Bill > HR4309

This bill, known as the Officer Safety Act of 2012, amends federal law to allow law enforcement officers who are defendants in criminal cases to have their cases moved to a U.S. district court if they were acting under the color of their office while responding to specific situations. This means a case could be moved from a state court to a federal court. The bill defines "acting under the color of his office" to include situations where an officer protected someone from a crime of violence, provided immediate help to someone who was harmed or threatened with harm, or stopped someone from escaping who the officer reasonably believed had committed or was about to commit a crime of violence that could result in death or serious bodily injury. The bill also provides definitions for terms like "crime of violence" and "serious bodily injury" by referencing other federal laws, and clarifies that "law enforcement officer" includes certain federal employees and Diplomatic Security Service special agents, while "State court" can also include courts in U.S. territories, the District of Columbia, and tribal courts.