Criminal Justice

in committee · United States · House May 29, 2025

HR 3621: Public Safety and Mental Health Reporting Act

This bill requires the U.S. Attorney General, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, to collect annual data on law enforcement interactions with people experiencing mental illness starting in 2026. It mandates standardized guidelines for gathering this data and strictly limits its use to anonymized research or statistics - prohibiting any information that could identify individuals. The Attorney General must publish an annual summary of the findings for Congress and the public. The data collection is authorized for fiscal years 2026 through 2036, using the definition of "mental illness" established in existing law (34 U.S.C. §10651(a)(7)).

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires standardized data collection on law enforcement-mental health interactions for research, promoting evidence-based reform and accountability in criminal justice practices.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Tags Data Reporting Public Safety

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in committee · United States · Senate May 12, 2025

S 1712: Criminal History Access Act of 2025

S 1712, the Criminal History Access Act of 2025, amends federal law to allow state "peace officer standards and training agencies" (agencies that set hiring and training standards for police officers) to access criminal history records for background checks. The bill adds these agencies to the list of entities authorized under Title 28 of U.S. Code to obtain such records. It requires the Attorney General to update federal regulations within 180 days of enactment to implement this change. This procedural amendment directly affects state law enforcement certification bodies by expanding their access to federal criminal history data.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables police hiring agencies to access criminal records for background checks, enhancing officer accountability standards per criminal justice reform indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

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in committee · United States · House May 23, 2025

HR 3612: End For-Profit Prisons Act of 2025

The End For-Profit Prisons Act of 2025 would end federal contracts with for-profit companies for core prison services - such as housing, safety, and discipline - in federal prisons and community confinement facilities. It requires the Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Marshals Service to transition to using federal employees for these services within 6 years (for prisons) and 8 years (for community confinement), with limited exceptions for state/local facilities meeting all standards. The bill also mandates annual facility inspections, regular reports on prison demographics (including race and gender), and new reentry support for released prisoners, such as information on job programs and benefits like Medicaid. These changes directly affect federal correctional agencies, for-profit prison operators, and incarcerated individuals.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnds federal contracts with for-profit prisons for core services, transitioning to federal employees - directly advances criminal justice reform by reducing profit incentives in corrections.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill transitions prison services to federal employees, implying stronger labor standards and protections compared to for-profit contracts, aligning with worker protection indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Human Trafficking Probation & Parole

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in committee · United States · House May 23, 2025

HR 3596: Rape Shield Enhancement Act of 2025

HR 3596, the Rape Shield Enhancement Act of 2025, requires the Judicial Conference to submit reports to Congress within 180 days of enactment. These reports would examine potential amendments to three federal court rules (Rules 412, 26, and 16) to further limit the admissibility of an alleged victim’s sexual history in court and strengthen privacy protections for any such evidence that is admitted. The bill specifically aims to narrow discovery requests into victims’ private records and prevent unnecessary disclosure of sensitive information in sexual assault cases. It does not change current law but mandates studies to identify possible rule updates for federal courts. The direct effect is on federal court procedures in sexual assault cases, focusing on victim privacy and evidence handling.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeStrengthens victim privacy protections in sexual assault cases by limiting admissibility of sexual history, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Human Trafficking Victims' Rights

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in committee · United States · House Sep 18, 2025

HRES 741: Acknowledging that in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, individuals experienced hate and were targeted by the government on account of their faith, race, national origin and immigration status, and suggesting various forms of relief to support those affected.

This resolution acknowledges that after the September 11, 2001, attacks, Arab, Muslim, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Sikh communities faced widespread hate, government targeting, and discrimination - including policies like the 2002 National Security Entry-Exit Registration System and mass detentions without evidence. It calls for an independent commission to review these historical policies, document their impact, and recommend changes to dismantle ongoing discriminatory practices. The resolution also urges funding for community-based organizations to provide hate crime prevention, mental health support, and culturally accessible alternatives to law enforcement, while requesting health studies on the effects of profiling and hate.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCalls for commission to review discriminatory post-9/11 policies (e.g., mass detentions) and dismantle bias, aligning with criminal justice reform and civil rights protection.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill explicitly acknowledges post-9/11 discrimination against immigrants and calls for commission to dismantle discriminatory practices, aligning with immigrant rights protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement

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passed · United States · House May 14, 2025

HRES 405: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2240) to require the Attorney General to develop reports relating to violent attacks against law enforcement officers, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2243) to amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act and provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2255) to allow Federal law enforcement officers to purchase retired service weapons, and for other purposes.

HRES 405 is a procedural resolution that sets the rules for the House to debate and vote on three related bills. It waives objections and limits debate to one hour for H.R. 2240 (requiring reports on attacks against law enforcement), H.R. 2243 (amending officer safety laws and concealed carry rules), and H.R. 2255 (allowing federal officers to purchase retired service weapons). This resolution does not change the bills' content but streamlines their consideration process.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables bills strengthening law enforcement safety, a key aspect of criminal justice.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Law Enforcement

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in committee · United States · House Jan 30, 2026

HR 7278: Cost of Police Misconduct Act of 2026

HR 7278, the Cost of Police Misconduct Act of 2026, requires federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies receiving Byrne JAG program funds to collect and report detailed data on misconduct settlements and judgments. Agencies must track information like the type of allegation (e.g., use of force, racial profiling), costs paid, officer demographics, and funding sources, then submit annual reports to the Attorney General. Non-compliant states or localities face up to a 10% reduction in Byrne JAG or Cops on the Beat program funding. The Attorney General will create a public, searchable database of this aggregated data (excluding personal identifiers) and issue annual reports with recommendations for reducing misconduct. The bill mandates a GAO study after two years of data collection to analyze trends and costs across agencies.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires data collection on police misconduct to enhance accountability, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators like transparency and oversight.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

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in committee · United States · Senate Jul 22, 2025

S 2386: Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America’s Streets Act

This bill restricts federal law enforcement's use during protests by requiring officers to visibly display their agency and name or rank during crowd control, riot control, or arrests at demonstrations. It limits federal involvement to Federal property or immediate adjacent areas (sidewalks/public streets), with exceptions for written state/local requests or when the Insurrection Act is invoked. The bill also prohibits unmarked vehicles for civilian arrests and mandates public websites publish deployment details within 24 hours, including locations of detained individuals. It makes arrests unlawful if officers violate these identification or location rules. The bill directly affects federal law enforcement officers and military personnel responding to public demonstrations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts federal policing tactics during protests, mandates officer identification, prohibits unmarked vehicles - enhances accountability and civil rights protections in law enforcement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 3, 2025

S 1295: BOP SCAN Mail Act

The BOP SCAN Mail Act requires the Bureau of Prisons to implement digital mail scanning at all federal correctional facilities to detect and prevent synthetic drugs like fentanyl from entering prisons through inmate mail. Within 180 days of enactment, the BOP Director must evaluate scanning technology and submit a strategy to Congress for achieving 100% mail scanning, including providing inmates digital mail copies within 24 hours and physical copies within 30 days if no drugs are detected. The strategy must cover equipment, training, a 2025-2027 budget, and annual progress reports on drug detection and program efficiency. This directly affects 122 federal prisons, their 38,000 employees, and over 150,000 inmates by addressing a 600% rise in drug-related overdoses linked to mail-sent contraband.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens prison security by preventing drug trafficking through mail scanning, directly supporting corrections within criminal justice.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · United States · House Oct 31, 2025

HRES 844: Expressing support for the designation of October 2025 as "Crime Prevention Month".

This non-binding resolution (HRES 844) expresses the U.S. House of Representatives' support for designating October 2025 as "Crime Prevention Month." It encourages federal agencies to fund evidence-based crime prevention programs - like youth mentorship, mental health services, and neighborhood safety initiatives - and urges state/local governments to adopt strategies such as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. The resolution also commends community workers and calls on all citizens to participate in public safety activities during October. It has no legal effect but aims to raise awareness and foster collaboration across communities, government, and private sectors to reduce crime.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEncourages federal funding for evidence-based crime prevention programs (youth mentorship, mental health services) aligning with criminal justice reform goals to reduce recidivism.85% confidence

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