Criminal Justice

S 2687, the CLEAN DC Act, repeals the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-345). This bill directly affects Washington, D.C.'s policing laws and regulations by restoring all prior legal provisions that were amended or repealed by the 2022 law. The key mechanism is a straightforward repeal, returning the District's policing framework to its pre-2022 state without creating new policies. The bill does not introduce new provisions but reverses specific changes enacted in 2022.

The MOSSA Act (HR 4878) directs federal agencies to prioritize funding for local governments enforcing laws against public drug use, camping, and loitering, while requiring homelessness programs to link participants with mental health/substance use treatment as a condition of aid. It mandates that federal grant programs for homelessness services end support for "housing first" approaches and "harm reduction" initiatives, instead requiring evidence-based treatment programs and stricter accountability for service providers. The bill also directs agencies to address sex offenders in homeless programs by restricting their housing with children and to review funding recipients operating drug injection sites for legal violations. These provisions collectively shift federal funding toward enforcement-focused and treatment-oriented homelessness strategies, affecting state/local governments, homeless service providers, and individuals accessing federal housing assistance.

James T. Woods Act This bill expands the federal framework for combating the online exploitation of children. Among its provisions, the bill establishes new criminal offenses, expands reporting requirements, and facilitates the prosecution and sentencing of offenders.   TITLE I—SAFE ACT Sentencing Accountability For Exploitation Act or the SAFE Act This title directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and amend its guidelines and policy statements applicable to federal criminal offenses involving the production, receipt, transport, shipment, or distribution of child sexual abuse material to (1) account for the actual and potential harm from the offense and changes since the last amendments with respect to the typical offense behavior and modern technologies, and (2) better reflect the spectrum of offender culpability. TITLE II—ENDING COERCION OF CHILDREN AND HARM ONLINE Ending Coercion of Children and Harm Online Act or the ECCHO Act This title establishes a federal framework to combat the online coercion of minors to commit harm. The title creates new criminal offenses, expands reporting of instances involving the online coercion of minors, facilitates the prosecution of offenders, and expands protections for minors who testify in court.   TITLE III—STOP SEXTORTION Stop Sextortion Act This title criminalizes threats to distribute child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress. This practice is commonly referred to as sextortion . The title also increases criminal penalties for related offenses that involve the use of child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress.

The Stop COYOTES Act (HR 4472) increases penalties for certain crimes involving minors by adding up to 10 years in prison for offenders who commit felonies against children within 1,000 feet of schools, colleges, or youth facilities like playgrounds. It also raises maximum fines for fentanyl-related drug offenses under the Controlled Substances Act and requires federal agencies to share border crime data - including human trafficking, smuggling, and drug trafficking - with state and local law enforcement near U.S. borders. This bill directly affects individuals convicted of these specific offenses and mandates regular reports to Congress on border-related criminal activity.

HR 1064, the "Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues Act," adds all fentanyl-related substances to the federal Schedule I list of controlled substances without requiring separate listing. It defines these substances broadly as any chemical structure similar to fentanyl - such as modifications to its phenyl, piperidine, or aniline rings - to automatically cover new synthetic fentanyl analogues created by drug manufacturers. This change treats these substances as illegal fentanyl analogues under existing penalties, meaning law enforcement can prosecute them without proving they meet the current legal definition of a "controlled substance analogue." The bill directly affects drug manufacturers, distributors, and law enforcement by streamlining the regulation of new fentanyl-like compounds designed to evade current laws.

The SAFE Act creates a new category of "fentanyl-related substances" that would automatically be controlled under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act based on specific chemical modifications to fentanyl. This affects anyone involved in the production, distribution, or use of substances meeting this broad definition. The bill establishes a process for removing or rescheduling these substances if they're determined to have less potential for abuse than Schedule I substances, and allows courts to review past convictions involving substances that have since been removed from this category. It also creates new research procedures for Schedule I substances and requires a GAO report analyzing the law's implementation and impact within four years.

S 115, the GATE CRASHERS Act, makes it a federal crime to enter clearly marked restricted or closed Department of Defense (DOD) property without authorization. The bill creates new penalties under Title 18: up to 180 days in jail for a first offense, up to 3 years for a second offense, and up to 10 years for a third or subsequent offense. It directly affects individuals who trespass on DOD facilities despite clear signage restricting access. The law applies to all property under DOD jurisdiction that is marked as closed or restricted, with penalties escalating for repeat violations. This bill does not alter existing DOD security protocols but establishes specific criminal penalties for unauthorized access.

The NDO Fairness Act modifies federal law to establish a new court order process allowing law enforcement to delay notifying individuals when seeking electronic communications data (like emails or messages) under existing warrants or subpoenas. Courts must issue written findings showing specific, serious risks (such as endangering safety or destroying evidence) and limit delays to 90 days (or up to one year for child exploitation cases), with strict requirements for narrow tailoring. The bill mandates annual reports to Congress tracking usage, including how often delays are granted and whether they affect media or First Amendment activities. After delays expire, individuals can request copies of disclosed information within 180 days, though sensitive materials like child exploitation evidence may be redacted.

The Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2025 improves the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by requiring federal agencies to share mental health records and implementing accountability measures for grant recipients. It increases penalties for illegal firearm purchases, establishes new programs to prosecute gun violence in high-violence jurisdictions (including a "Nationwide Project Exile Expansion"), and creates regional task forces to combat firearms trafficking. The bill clarifies definitions related to mental health restrictions on firearm possession and modifies rules for interstate transportation of firearms under certain conditions. It also mandates a study on the causes of mass shootings and requires reports on ammunition purchases by federal agencies.

The PLANT Act makes it a federal crime to import high-risk agricultural pathogens - such as harmful bacteria, viruses, or pests - without a U.S. Department of Agriculture permit. It directly affects importers, including businesses or individuals bringing in biological agents that could damage U.S. crops, livestock, or ecosystems. Violations carry up to 10 years in prison, with penalties increasing to 20 years if the offense involves concealing the pathogen’s origin, foreign government involvement, or over $1 million in economic harm. The Secretary of Agriculture will define "high-risk" pathogens through future regulations.