Deborah Ross (D-NC)
Supporting Women COPS Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill establishes a Task Force on Women in Law Enforcement to study and develop national hiring standards for law enforcement officers. The Task Force is tasked with creating recommendations for national hiring standards, female officer retention, and advancement to leadership roles. The group will consist of 12 members appointed by the Attorney General, including various law enforcement professionals and community representatives. A report detailing findings and recommendations must be submitted to Congress within 18 months of enactment. States that adopt these recommendations can receive a 5 percent increase in their Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funding.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +7
Would women be better off under this?
The bill specifically targets barriers to female officer retention, promotion to leadership, and fitness considerations following childbirth.
- Scored +6
Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated?
The bill establishes a task force to create hiring standards and retention strategies specifically designed to support women in law enforcement leadership and career longevity.
- Scored +3
Does this change how police departments operate?
The bill seeks to standardize national law enforcement hiring standards through a dedicated task force.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Fairer Hiring Standards: The Task Force aims to develop national hiring standards for skills like physical fitness, critical thinking, and communication that do not disadvantage applicants based on sex (Section 2(c)(1)).
-
Support for Female Officers: The bill seeks to address barriers to retention, specifically looking at issues such as physical fitness after childbirth and family responsibilities like childcare (Section 2(c)(2)).
-
Career Advancement: The Task Force is responsible for creating recommendations to help women advance to leadership roles within law enforcement (Section 2(c)(3)).
-
Financial Incentives for States: States that choose to adopt the Task Force's recommendations will receive an additional amount equal to 5 percent of what they receive under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (Section 3(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill establishes a task force to create hiring standards and retention strategies specifically designed to support women in law enforcement leadership and career longevity. Does this change how police departments operate? — The bill seeks to standardize national law enforcement hiring standards through a dedicated task force. Does this make child care cost less? — The bill directs the task force to consider family responsibilities such as childcare when developing retention recommendations for female officers.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would women be better off under this? — The bill specifically targets barriers to female officer retention, promotion to leadership, and fitness considerations following childbirth. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill's focus on standardized hiring and retention may provide more structured career paths within law enforcement agencies.
- 5/14/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Valerie FousheeDemocrat · North Carolina
Emilia SykesDemocrat · Ohio