The Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026 amends federal law to enhance support for victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. The bill authorizes $270 million annually for fiscal years 2027-2031 to fund state, tribal, and community programs, with specific funding reserved for tribal programs (12.5%), national hotlines ($20.5 million for general hotline, $4 million for Indian hotline), and services for underserved populations. It requires grantees to provide trauma-informed, culturally appropriate services while prohibiting discrimination and protecting victim confidentiality, and mandates accessibility for people with disabilities and limited English proficiency. The bill also establishes new technical assistance centers, Tribal resource centers, and community-based prevention programs to address the needs of underserved populations including Native Hawaiians, Alaska Natives, and racial and ethnic minorities.
HR 3121, "Anna’s Law of 2025," requires federal grants to fund trauma-informed training for law enforcement and emergency medical personnel who handle sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking cases. The training must cover how trauma affects victims’ behavior, prevent retraumatization during interactions, and teach victim-centered communication techniques. It mandates 8 hours of training for new recruits in law enforcement or EMT programs and 4 hours annually for existing staff. The bill also requires grant recipients to use diverse trainers and report annually to Congress on program effectiveness and survivor experiences. This policy directly affects law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services providers, and survivors interacting with these responders.
This bill establishes two grant programs to address technological abuse against victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. It authorizes a 5-year pilot program (with up to 15 grants of $2 million each) for partnerships between tech-focused schools, tech companies, and domestic violence centers to provide victims with new devices and combat tech abuse. A separate $20 million grant program funds nonprofits and schools to develop training materials for service providers on preventing and responding to technological abuse. The bill directly affects victims experiencing tech-based stalking or monitoring and the organizations that support them, focusing on practical resources and education rather than new legal requirements.
Protection for Reservation Occupants against Trafficking and Evasive Communications Today Act of 2025 or the PROTECT Act of 2025 This bill expands special tribal criminal jurisdiction (STCJ) to include certain controlled substance-related offenses and firearms offenses. It also allows tribal courts to execute warrants for electronic material. STCJ allows participating tribes to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence both Indian and non-Indian offenders who commit covered crimes in Indian country against Indian victims. Covered crimes currently include assault of tribal justice personnel, child violence, dating violence, domestic violence, obstruction of justice, sexual violence, sex trafficking, stalking, and a violation of a protection order. The bill expands STCJ to allow participating tribes to prosecute individuals for controlled substance-related offenses (i.e., drug trafficking, unlawful drug possession, or unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia) and firearms offenses (i.e., use or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a covered crime or by a person who has been convicted of domestic violence). Additionally, the bill allows participating tribes to exercise STCJ over a controlled substance-related offense or a firearms offense if neither the defendant nor the alleged victim is an Indian. (Currently, this exception only applies in cases of obstruction of justice or assault of tribal justice personnel.) The bill allows offenders convicted pursuant to STCJ to be incarcerated through the Bureau of Prisons Tribal Prisoner Program. The bill gives tribal courts the same authority as state courts to compel service providers to disclose stored electronic communication information through court-issued warrants, court orders, or administrative subpoenas.
HR 3773 (PROTECT Act of 2025) amends federal law to recognize tribal courts as having authority equivalent to state courts for certain electronic evidence cases. It requires that warrants for electronic communications stored 180 days or less must follow procedures from the Indian Civil Rights Act (25 U.S.C. 1302(a)(2)) when issued by tribal courts. The bill also expands tribal jurisdiction over controlled substance offenses (like drug trafficking or possession) and firearms offenses (such as possession by domestic violence offenders) by defining these terms for tribal courts. This directly affects tribal courts and tribal law enforcement by standardizing legal procedures for evidence handling and broadening their authority under federal law. The changes align tribal court processes with federal and state standards for digital evidence and criminal jurisdiction.
This bill expands federal protections for domestic violence and stalking survivors by broadening key definitions. It adds current and former dating partners to the definition of "intimate partner" and includes their children under domestic violence protections. The bill also creates a new federal definition for "misdemeanor crime of stalking" that explicitly includes causing fear for a victim's pet, service animal, or emotional support animal, and prohibits firearm possession for those convicted of such stalking offenses. These changes directly affect survivors of dating violence and stalking, as well as individuals convicted of misdemeanor stalking under federal, state, or tribal law.
This bill requires states that mandate licensing training for cosmetologists and barbers to add free, state-approved domestic violence training for license seekers. The training teaches professionals to recognize abuse signs, respond appropriately, and refer clients to victim resources - optionally including sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence. States meeting this requirement can receive up to a 10% grant increase for domestic violence programs, with grants renewable for up to three years. The bill authorizes $5 million annually (2027-2033) to fund these grants, directly affecting cosmetology/barber license applicants and domestic violence service providers.
HR 2394, the DETERRENCE Act, amends federal criminal sentencing laws to increase penalties for certain offenses when committed "knowingly at the direction of or in coordination with a foreign government." It applies to existing crimes including kidnapping (up to 10 additional years), murder-for-hire (up to 10 years if injury occurs), stalking (up to 30 months), attacks on federal officials (up to 10 years), and threats against presidential staff (up to 10 years). The bill adds specific sentencing enhancements where foreign government involvement is proven, with higher penalties for offenses causing injury, using weapons, or resulting in death. It directly affects individuals convicted of these crimes under the specified circumstances.
This bill creates a federal grant program to provide legal resources for individuals seeking extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), which temporarily remove firearms from people deemed a risk to themselves or others. It authorizes $50 million annually (2027-2031) for states, local governments, and tribes to fund legal counsel, multilingual resource centers, and training for legal and law enforcement staff on ERPO processes. The grants specifically aim to help "covered petitioners" (those eligible to request ERPOs) access representation and understand the legal process, including distinguishing ERPOs from domestic violence protection orders. The bill does not change ERPO standards or create new court jurisdiction but ensures petitioners have legal support.
This bill amends the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to improve services for victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. It authorizes $270 million annually from 2027-2031 for services including trauma-informed residential and non-residential programs, national hotlines, and culturally specific services for underserved populations. The bill requires grantees to provide accessible services, protect victim confidentiality, and not impose income eligibility requirements or fees for services. It also creates a National Indian Domestic Violence Hotline and supports community-based prevention programs for underserved racial and ethnic populations and Tribal communities.
