Criminal Justice

in committee · United States · House May 12, 2026

HR 8750: COPS Reauthorization Act of 2026

The COPS Reauthorization Act of 2026 extends funding for the COPS ON THE BEAT grant program through fiscal year 2031, allowing the Department of Justice to continue providing grants to local law enforcement agencies for hiring and retaining officers. The bill also formally establishes the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services as a separate office within the Department of Justice, headed by a Director appointed by the President. These changes aim to maintain and clarify the administrative structure and financial support for community policing initiatives across the United States.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly extends funding for the COPS ON THE BEAT grant program through FY 2031, directly advancing government spending for public safety.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill extends funding for COPS grants to hire and retain officers, directly strengthening law enforcement capacity and resources.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

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in committee · United States · House Apr 21, 2026

HR 8416: Prison to Proprietorship for the Formerly Incarcerated Act

This bill amends the Small Business Act to require the Service Corps of Retired Executives to provide entrepreneurship counseling and training to individuals formerly incarcerated in federal prisons across the country. The program would offer one-on-one mentoring sessions over a year, workshops, and instructional materials designed to help formerly incarcerated people start or expand small businesses. Key services include assistance with creating business plans, identifying funding sources, and connecting with local business resources, along with regular surveys to measure participant satisfaction. The bill also mandates annual reports to Congress detailing the number of participants, hours of mentorship provided, demographic information, and an analysis of survey results.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill promotes rehabilitation and reduces recidivism by providing entrepreneurship training to formerly incarcerated individuals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Tags Small Business

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in committee · United States · House Feb 11, 2026

HR 7494: Preventing Domestic Violence Homicides Through Lethality Assessment Training and Technical Assistance Act

This bill establishes a national resource center to help states, local governments, and tribes adopt programs designed to prevent domestic violence homicides. It authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to nonprofit or tribal organizations that have proven experience in creating and evaluating these safety initiatives. The funded programs would train first responders to better identify high-risk situations and connect victims quickly with community support services using evidence-based tools. A total of $5,000,000 is authorized annually starting in fiscal year 2026 to support these efforts.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill authorizes grants to fund domestic violence prevention programs and lethality assessment training for first responders.85% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds training for first responders to identify high-risk domestic violence situations, directly strengthening law enforcement capabilities and victim safety.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Victims' Rights

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in committee · United States · House Apr 21, 2026

HR 8420: Veterans Legal Support Act of 2026

The Veterans Legal Support Act of 2026 authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide funding to university law school programs that offer legal assistance to veterans. This funding, totaling $10,000,000 annually from fiscal years 2027 through 2031, supports legal clinics that help veterans with VA appeals, fiduciary appointments, benefits claims, and other civil, criminal, and family legal matters. The bill does not mandate specific outcomes but establishes a financial mechanism for law schools to expand their veteran legal services. It directly affects veterans seeking legal help and university law schools that operate such programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly authorizes $10M in annual funding for VA legal support programs, directly advancing the budget topic by increasing appropriations for essential services.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill provides funding for legal clinics assisting veterans with civil, criminal, and family matters, enhancing access to justice and legal support.75% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides $10M annually to fund university law school programs, directly increasing educational resources and access for students.75% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill authorizes funding for legal clinics to assist veterans with appeals, benefits, and civil matters.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing

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in committee · United States · Senate May 12, 2026

S 4500: VICTIM Act of 2026

The VICTIM Act of 2026 establishes a federal grant program to help local, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies improve their clearance rates for homicides and firearm-related violent crimes. Funds awarded to eligible entities can be used to hire and train investigators, upgrade forensic technology, implement evidence-based investigative strategies, and provide support services for victims and their families. The legislation also mandates strict oversight measures, requiring grant recipients to submit annual reports on their progress and undergo regular audits to ensure funds are not misused. Additionally, the act sets aside specific portions of the funding to guarantee that rural and Tribal law enforcement agencies receive a share of the available resources.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds law enforcement to improve clearance rates and provides victim support services, directly strengthening criminal justice outcomes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Victims' Rights Violent Crime

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 30, 2026

S 4462: Logan's Law

Logan's Law creates a publicly accessible database managed by the Attorney General to record individuals convicted of violent offenses punishable by more than 180 days. States receiving specific federal crime prevention grants must submit data on these convictions to the database, or face restrictions on receiving future funding. The database will be free for the public to search and updated quarterly, while also removing records if a conviction is legally expunged or pardoned. Additionally, the bill requires the Attorney General to submit a report identifying barriers to sharing criminal records between states and the federal government to improve nationwide information access.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates a public database of violent offenders to enhance transparency and community safety, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence

Track

in committee · United States · House May 13, 2026

HR 8796: Federal Halo Act

The Federal Halo Act creates a new federal crime for approaching or staying within 15 feet of a law enforcement officer after receiving a verbal warning to stop. This provision applies to any individual who knowingly violates such a warning with the intent to interfere with the officer's duties, threaten them, or harass them. The bill defines harassment as a course of conduct that intentionally causes substantial emotional distress to the officer without a legitimate purpose. Anyone convicted of this offense could face a fine, up to five years in prison, or both penalties.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by creating a new federal crime that restricts lawful behavior near officers, thereby limiting rights and increasing penalties.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement

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passed · United States · House May 13, 2026

HR 8352: Criminal History Access Act of 2026

The Criminal History Access Act expands the types of government entities that can receive criminal history records from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for official use. It specifically allows the FBI to share these records with the United States Sentencing Commission, State sentencing commissions, Indian tribes, and State peace officer standards and training agencies. These State agencies are defined as those with statutory authority to set standards for law enforcement hiring, training, and ethical conduct. The bill also broadens the definition of "State" for these purposes to include U.S. territories, and requires the Attorney General to update regulations to reflect these changes within 180 days.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill expands access to criminal history records for sentencing commissions and training agencies, enhancing oversight and accountability in criminal justice systems.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Sentencing

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in committee · United States · House Apr 20, 2026

HR 8369: No ICE in Schools Act

The "No ICE in Schools Act" proposes to prevent educational agencies and institutions from releasing student records or other personal information for immigration enforcement purposes. It directly affects schools and colleges receiving federal funds, as well as students whose data might be sought by immigration enforcement. The bill amends existing law to prohibit federal funds from being provided to any educational entity that releases such information without specific written consent from the student's parents. This parental consent must detail the records, reasons for release, and recipient, with a copy provided to the parents.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill protects civil rights by limiting immigration enforcement access to student data, reducing fear and encouraging community engagement with law enforcement.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill protects student privacy and educational access by preventing immigration enforcement from accessing school records, thereby strengthening educational institutions and student rights.85% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill prevents schools from sharing student data with ICE, protecting immigrant students from enforcement actions and limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill protects student data privacy by prohibiting schools from sharing information with immigration enforcement without consent, directly supporting digital rights and data privacy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety DACA & Dreamers Enforcement Sanctuary Policies Data Privacy

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in committee · United States · House Apr 23, 2026

HR 8470: Surveillance Accountability Act

The Surveillance Accountability Act aims to strengthen Fourth Amendment protections against warrantless government searches, directly affecting federal employees involved in surveillance and individuals whose data or privacy is subject to government access. It generally mandates that government entities obtain a warrant based on probable cause for most searches, explicitly requiring one to access data held by third-party companies like internet providers or financial institutions. While outlining exceptions for situations like plain view or publicly available information, the bill specifically prohibits the warrantless collection or analysis of biometric data (e.g., facial recognition) or license plate reader data from public places without informed consent. Additionally, it creates a new legal avenue for individuals to sue federal employees who violate their Fourth Amendment rights, allowing for redress and attorney's fees.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens Fourth Amendment protections and requires warrants for searches, enhancing civil rights and police accountability within criminal justice.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill strengthens Fourth Amendment protections and requires warrants for data access, enhancing digital privacy and consumer protection against government surveillance.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Emerging Technology

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