This bill, named after Andrew Kearse, creates a federal law that requires law enforcement officers and prison officials to provide immediate medical attention to people in their custody who show signs of medical distress, such as difficulty breathing. It makes it illegal for federal law enforcement officers, Bureau of Prisons staff, and U.S. Marshals Service employees to negligently fail to obtain or provide such care, with penalties of up to one year in prison and fines for violations that result in unnecessary pain, injury, or death. The legislation establishes a federal crime that can be investigated by agency Inspectors General and prosecuted by the Attorney General, and it allows state attorneys general to bring civil lawsuits seeking damages on behalf of residents harmed by such violations. The bill also requires federal agencies to train their personnel on how to provide medical assistance to individuals in medical distress, and it creates a confidential complaint process so people can report incidents to agency Inspectors General without their identities being disclosed.
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