Gay and Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits a federal criminal defendant from asserting, as a defense, that the nonviolent sexual advance of an individual or a perception or belief of the gender, gender identify or expression, or sexual orientation of an individual excuses or justifies conduct or mitigates the severity of an offense.
HR 2584, the Judiciary Act of 2021, would change the structure of the U.S. Supreme Court by increasing the number of associate justices from eight to twelve. This bill directly affects the Supreme Court's composition and operations, requiring a quorum of eight justices instead of six to conduct business. The key provision amends Title 28 of the U.S. Code to reflect these numerical changes to the Court's membership and quorum requirements. This is a procedural change to the Court's statutory structure, not a policy affecting the public.
Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act This bill directs the Department of State to designate the Reynosa/Los Metros faction of the Gulf Cartel and the Cartel Del Noreste faction of Los Zetas as foreign terrorist organizations and to submit a detailed report on those drug cartels and any other cartels it may identify. Based on this report, the State Department must designate as a foreign terrorist organization any such identified cartel (or faction thereof) that meets certain criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization.
Fair Housing for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survivors Act of 2021 This bill prohibits discrimination against survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or sex trafficking in the sale or rental of housing and other related real estate activities.
Help Empower Americans to Respond Act of 2021 or the HEAR Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a firearm silencer or firearm muffler. The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; and importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials. In addition, the bill requires the Department of Justice to establish and implement a buy-back program to purchase firearm silencers and firearm mufflers. States and local governments may use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender firearm silencers and firearm mufflers under this buy-back program.
Keep Americans Safe Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture. Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.
Hate Crime Victim Assistance Act of 2021 This bill establishes new grant programs to support state and local efforts to combat hate crimes and assist hate crime victims. Specifically, the Department of Justice (DOJ) must award grants for (1) hate crime information and assistance websites and hate crime hotlines, and (2) education and training programs to solve and prevent hate crimes. Additionally, DOJ must establish, in the Office for Victims of Crime, a grant program to support programs and activities for victims of hate crimes.
Community Protection in Sports Act of 2021 This bill provides localities injured by the cancellation or relocation of certain sporting events a remedy for such action. Specifically, the bill makes it unlawful for Major League Baseball to cancel or relocate a competition that is not a part of the regular season unless it is a reasonable response to a pandemic, natural disaster, inclement weather, or emergency declared by the federal government or by the state in which the game is scheduled to occur. A locality that is injured by a violation may commence a civil action for damages from the league for canceling or relocating the game.
Competition in Professional Baseball Act This bill removes the limited exemption from the antitrust laws for professional baseball clubs. For purposes of this bill, the term antitrust laws means laws to protect against unlawful restraints and monopolies (Clayton Act) and to protect against unfair methods of competition (Federal Trade Commission Act).
Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2021 This bill includes armor-piercing, concealable weapons in the definition of firearm under the National Firearms Act.
Silencers Help Us Save Hearing Act or the SHUSH Act This bill modifies the treatment of silencers under federal statutes governing the sale, transfer, and possession of firearms. Specifically, it removes silencers from the list of firearms subject to regulation (i.e., registration and licensing requirements) under the National Firearms Act (NFA). Additionally, it excludes a muffler or silencer from the list of firearms subject to regulation (e.g., background check requirements) under the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). Finally, the bill does the following: preempts state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers, specifies that a person who lawfully acquires or possesses a silencer under provisions of the GCA meets the registration and licensing requirements of the NFA, eliminates mandatory minimum prison terms for a crime of violence or drug trafficking offense in which a defendant uses or carries a firearm equipped with a silencer or muffler, and permits active and retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed silencer.
Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality Act of 2021 or the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act of 2021 This bill creates grants for state and local governments to combat hate crimes. It also authorizes additional penalties for hate crime offenses. Specifically, it establishes grants for states to create state-run hate crimes reporting hotlines. It also authorizes grants for states and local governments to implement the National Incident-Based Reporting System and to conduct law enforcement activities or crime reduction programs to prevent, address, or respond to hate crimes. Finally, in the case of an individual convicted of a hate crime offense and placed on supervised release, the bill allows a court to order that the individual participate in educational classes or community service as a condition of supervised release.
