The Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program Expansion Act of 2026 modernizes how the federal government processes benefits for injured or deceased public safety officers. The bill establishes clear timelines requiring the Bureau of Justice Assistance to notify claimants of missing information within 90 days and issue eligibility determinations within 270 days of receiving a complete claim. If the Bureau misses the 270-day deadline, it must issue an interim benefit payment (up to $6,000, adjusted annually) to eligible claimants or place funds in escrow while claims are finalized, with interim payments credited against final awards and not subject to repayment except in cases of fraud. The bill also creates a new category of benefits for officers with permanent partial disabilities that prevent them from continuing work as police or firefighters, providing them half the death benefit amount, and requires the Bureau to conduct ongoing outreach to underserved agencies and disabled officers. Additionally, the legislation mandates that the Bureau use its subpoena authority to obtain necessary documents from agencies that fail to respond within 30 days, establishes annual audits of claims pending more than a year, and creates expedited approval for September 11th-related claims when the Victim Compensation Fund or World Trade Center Health Program certify eligibility.
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