text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Public Safety Officers' Defense 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. SUBSTANTIVE LIMITS.
  
       Section 2254 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding 
  at the end the following:
      ``(j) Crimes Against Public Safety Officer.--
              ``(1) Definition of public safety officer.--In this 
          subsection, the term `public safety officer' has the meaning 
          given such term in section 1204 of the Omnibus Crime Control 
          and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b).
              ``(2) In general.--A court, justice, or judge shall not 
          have jurisdiction to consider any claim relating to the 
          judgment or sentence in an application described under 
          paragraph (3), unless the applicant shows that the claim 
          qualifies for consideration on the grounds described in 
          subsection (e)(2). Any such application that is presented to a 
          court, justice, or judge other than a district court shall be 
          transferred to the appropriate district court for consideration 
          or dismissal in conformity with this subsection, except that a 
          court of appeals panel must authorize any second or successive 
          application in conformity with section 2244 prior to any 
          consideration by the district court.
              ``(3) Application of subsection.--This subsection shall 
          apply to an application for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf 
          of a person in custody pursuant to the judgment of a State 
          court for a crime that involved the killing of a public safety 
          officer while the public safety officer was engaged in the 
          performance of official duties, or on account of the public 
          safety officer's performance of official duties.''.
  
  SEC. 3. TIME LIMITS.
  
      Section 2254(j) of title 28, United States Code, as added by 
  section 2 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the 
  following:
              ``(4) Time limits in district court.--For any application 
          described under paragraph (3), in the district court the 
          following shall apply:
                      ``(A) Any motion by either party for an evidentiary 
                  hearing shall be filed and served not later than 90 
                  days after the State files its answer or, if no timely 
                  answer is filed, the date on which such answer is due.
                      ``(B) Any motion for an evidentiary hearing shall 
                  be granted or denied not later than 30 days after the 
                  date on which the party opposing such motion files a 
                  pleading in opposition to such motion or, if no timely 
                  pleading in opposition is filed, the date on which such 
                  pleading in opposition is due.
                      ``(C) Any evidentiary hearing shall be--
                              ``(i) convened not less than 60 days after 
                          the order granting such hearing; and
                              ``(ii) completed not more than 150 days 
                          after the order granting such hearing.
                      ``(D) A district court shall enter a final order, 
                  granting or denying the application for a writ of 
                  habeas corpus, not later than 15 months after the date 
                  on which the State files its answer or, if no timely 
                  answer is filed, the date on which such answer is due, 
                  or not later than 60 days after the case is submitted 
                  for decision, whichever is earlier.
                      ``(E) If the district court fails to comply with 
                  the requirements of this paragraph, the State may 
                  petition the court of appeals for a writ of mandamus to 
                  enforce the requirements. The court of appeals shall 
                  grant or deny the petition for a writ of mandamus not 
                  later than 30 days after such petition is filed with 
                  the court.
              ``(5) Time limits in court of appeals.--For any application 
          described under paragraph (3), in the court of appeals the 
          following shall apply:
                      ``(A) A timely filed notice of appeal from an order 
                  issuing a writ of habeas corpus shall operate as a stay 
                  of that order pending final disposition of the appeal.
                      ``(B) The court of appeals shall decide the appeal 
                  from an order granting or denying a writ of habeas 
                  corpus--
                              ``(i) not later than 120 days after the 
                          date on which the brief of the appellee is 
                          filed or, if no timely brief is filed, the date 
                          on which such brief is due; or
                              ``(ii) if a cross-appeal is filed, not 
                          later than 120 days after the date on which the 
                          appellant files a brief in response to the 
                          issues presented by the cross-appeal or, if no 
                          timely brief is filed, the date on which such 
                          brief is due.
                      ``(C)(i) Following a decision by a panel of the 
                  court of appeals under subparagraph (B), a petition for 
                  panel rehearing is not allowed, but rehearing by the 
                  court of appeals en banc may be requested. The court of 
                  appeals shall decide whether to grant a petition for 
                  rehearing en banc not later than 30 days after the date 
                  on which the petition is filed, unless a response is 
                  required, in which case the court shall decide whether 
                  to grant the petition not later than 30 days after the 
                  date on which the response is filed or, if no timely 
                  response is filed, the date on which the response is 
                  due.
                      ``(ii) If rehearing en banc is granted, the court 
                  of appeals shall make a final determination of the 
                  appeal not later than 120 days after the date on which 
                  the order granting rehearing en banc is entered.
                      ``(D) If the court of appeals fails to comply with 
                  the requirements of this paragraph, the State may 
                  petition the Supreme Court or a justice thereof for a 
                  writ of mandamus to enforce the requirements.
              ``(6) Application of time limits.--
                      ``(A) In general.--The time limitations under 
                  paragraphs (4) and (5) shall apply to an initial 
                  application described under paragraph (3), any second 
                  or successive application described under paragraph 
                  (3), and any redetermination of an application 
                  described under paragraph (3) or related appeal 
                  following a remand by the court of appeals or the 
                  Supreme Court for further proceedings.
                      ``(B) Remand in district court.--In proceedings 
                  following remand in the district court, time limits 
                  running from the time the State files its answer under 
                  paragraph (4) shall run from the date the remand is 
                  ordered if further briefing is not required in the 
                  district court. If there is further briefing following 
                  remand in the district court, such time limits shall 
                  run from the date on which a responsive brief is filed 
                  or, if no timely responsive brief is filed, the date on 
                  which such brief is due.
                      ``(C) Remand in court of appeals.--In proceedings 
                  following remand in the court of appeals, the time 
                  limit specified in paragraph (5)(B) shall run from the 
                  date the remand is ordered if further briefing is not 
                  required in the court of appeals. If there is further 
                  briefing in the court of appeals, the time limit 
                  specified in paragraph (5)(B) shall run from the date 
                  on which a responsive brief is filed or, if no timely 
                  responsive brief is filed, from the date on which such 
                  brief is due.
              ``(7) Failure to comply.--The failure of a court to meet or 
          comply with a time limitation under this subsection shall not 
          be a ground for granting relief from a judgment of conviction 
          or sentence, nor shall the time limitations under this 
          subsection be construed to entitle a capital applicant to a 
          stay of execution, to which the applicant would otherwise not 
          be entitled, for the purpose of litigating any application or 
          appeal.''.
  
  SEC. 4. APPLICATION TO PENDING CASES.
  
      (a) In General.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply to 
  cases pending on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
      (b) Time Limits.--In a case pending on the date of enactment of 
  this Act, if the amendments made by this Act provide that a time limit 
  runs from an event or time that has occurred prior to such date of 
  enactment, the time limit shall run instead from such date of 
  enactment.
target: Public Safety Officers' Defense Act - Amends the Federal judicial code to deny a court, justice, or judge jurisdiction to consider any claim relating to the judgment or sentence in an application for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of a person in custody pursuant to the judgment of a State court for killing a public safety officer, unless the applicant shows constitutional error or that the claim qualifies for consideration based on a new rule of constitutional law or a factual predicate that could not have been previously discovered. Directs that any such application presented to a court, justice, or judge other than a district court be transferred to the appropriate district court for consideration or dismissal, with an exception.
  
  Sets forth requirements regarding time limits in: (1) district court (e.g., any motion by either party for an evidentiary hearing shall be filed and served not later than 90 days after the State files its answer); and (2) the court of appeals (e.g., the court shall decide the appeal from an order granting or denying a writ of habeas corpus not later than 120 days after the date on which the brief of the appellee is filed). Makes time limitations under this Act applicable to an initial application, a second or successive application, and any re-determination of an application or related appeal following a remand by the court of appeals or the Supreme Court for further proceedings.
feat_title: A bill to limit and expedite Federal collateral review of convictions for killing a public safety officer.