Heroes Lesley Zerebny and Gilbert Vega First Responders Survivors Support Act of 2021 This bill makes changes to benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who are killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. Specifically, the bill modifies the program to (1) increase the death and disability benefit, (2) revise the date of determination for the amount of the death and disability benefit, and (3) increase the monthly education assistance benefit and otherwise revise the computation method for such benefit. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to examine and identify ways to improve access to benefits and the processing of claims under the program.
This bill revises requirements governing judicial review of federal agency action. If an agency does not prevail in an appeal of a court ruling, then the court must award the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The award must be paid out of the administrative budget of the office in the agency that filed the appeal.
Article I Restoration Act of 20 21 This bill requires any covered rule issued by an executive agency after this bill's enactment to sunset three years after its effective date unless specifically reauthorized by Congress. A covered rule does not include a rule issued in accordance with specified formal rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act; issued with respect to a military or foreign affairs function of the United States; that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs certifies is necessary for the enforcement of federal criminal laws; that is limited to agency organization, management, or personnel matters; or that is necessary due to an imminent threat to human health or safety or any other emergency. An agency may not reissue, enforce, revise, or take other regulatory action related to a covered rule that has sunset. The Office of Management and Budget or the relevant agency may oversee the sunset of covered rules. If the agency that issues covered rules wants to request a reauthorization for such rules, such agency shall, by the December 1 that is one year before the rule is scheduled to sunset, submit to Congress a report that includes (1) a justification for such reauthorization, (2) any related covered rules, and (3) any recommendation or request made by the chair or ranking member of an appropriate committee.
No Bonuses Ahead of Bankruptcy Filing Act of 2021 This bill prohibits debtors in bankruptcy proceedings from paying bonuses to certain individuals for two years, including insiders (such as relatives) and highly compensated employees.
Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the wages or other remuneration earned by an employee who performs employment duties in more than one state from being subject to income tax in any state other than (1) the state of the employee's residence, and (2) the state within which the employee is present and performing employment duties for more than 30 days during the calendar year. The bill exempts employers from state income tax withholding and information reporting requirements for employees not subject to income tax in the state under this bill. For the purposes of determining penalties related to an employer's state income tax withholding or reporting requirements, an employer may rely on an employee's annual determination of the time expected to be spent working in a state in the absence of fraud or collusion by such employee. For the purposes of this bill, the term employee excludes professional athletes; professional entertainers; production employees who perform services in connection with certain film, television, or other commercial video productions; and public figures who are persons of prominence who perform services for wages or other remuneration on a per-event basis.
Public Service Integrity Act This bill increases to five years the post-employment lobbying ban on a former Member of the Senate (currently, two years) or a former Member of the House of Representatives (currently, one year). Additionally, the bill increases from one year to two years the post-employment lobbying restrictions on officers and employees of the legislative branch. It also lowers the income threshold at which the restrictions become applicable for such officers and employees.
Security And Fairness Enhancement for America Act of 2021 or the SAFE for America Act of 2021 This bill eliminates the diversity immigrant program, which makes immigrant visas available to individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.
Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2021 This bill moves administration of the H-2A (temporary agricultural workers) program from the Department of Labor to the Department of Agriculture.
No Asylum for Criminals Act of 2021 This bill bars an individual who has been convicted of a crime from receiving asylum, with limited exceptions. Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security may designate political offenses committed outside of the United States that shall not be considered a crime for this purpose. Currently, an individual shall be barred from receiving asylum for only certain types of criminal convictions, such as if the individual is convicted for (1) an aggravated felony, or (2) a particularly serious crime and as a result deemed a danger to the United States.
Pregnant Women Health and Safety Act of 2021 This bill establishes requirements for physicians who perform abortions and abortion clinics. Specifically, the bill requires a physician who performs an abortion (1) to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital; and (2) at the time of the abortion, to notify the patient of the hospital location where the patient can receive follow-up care if complications arise. A physician who fails to comply is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both. A woman who undergoes an abortion may not be prosecuted. The bill also requires an abortion clinic, in order to receive federal funds or assistance, to (1) be licensed by the state in which it is located, and (2) be in compliance with federal standards for ambulatory surgical centers.
Illegal Alien NICS Alert Act This bill requires the national instant criminal background check system to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and relevant state and local law enforcement agencies when the system indicates that a prospective firearm transferee is illegally or unlawfully in the United States.
Marijuana 1-to-3 Act of 2021 This bill moves marijuana to a lower schedule of the Controlled Substances Act. Specifically, it directs the Drug Enforcement Administration to transfer marijuana from schedule I to schedule III. (A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; that has no currently accepted medical use; and that is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule III controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has less potential for abuse than a schedule I or II substance; that has a currently accepted medical use; and that has low or moderate risk of dependence if abused.)
