Rep. Barbara Lee

Hate Crimes Commission Act of 2021 This bill establishes the United States Commission on Hate Crimes. The commission must investigate and report on whether hate crimes have increased; factors that contributed to an increase in hate crimes, if one is determined to exist; policies or actions by law enforcement agencies to reduce the commission of hate crimes; the impact of underreporting on hate crimes statistics and prevention; and successful community bias prevention responses.

COVID - 19 Hate Crimes Act This bill requires a designated officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) hate crimes and reports of COVID-19 hate crimes. It defines COVID-19 hate crime as a violent crime that is motivated by two things: (1) the actual or perceived characteristic (e.g., race or ethnicity) of any person, and (2) the actual or perceived relationship to the spread of COVID-19 of any person because of that characteristic. The bill requires DOJ to issue guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies on (1) the establishment of online hate crime reporting processes and the availability of online reporting in multiple languages, and (2) the expansion of culturally competent education campaigns. Additionally, DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services must issue guidance on best practices for mitigating racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Choosing Our Own Lives Over Fast Firearms Act or the COOL OFF Act This bill establishes a three-day waiting period for certain handgun transfers. Specifically, the bill makes it unlawful for a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer to sell or transfer a handgun to an unlicensed individual unless three business days have elapsed since the licensee initiated a background check. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to one year in prison, or both. Additionally, the bill makes it unlawful for an unlicensed individual to receive a handgun from another unlicensed individual unless at least three business days have elapsed since the recipient most recently offered to take possession of the handgun. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. The three-day waiting period does not apply to certain handgun transfers, such as for a loan between spouses for a lawful purpose.

COVID-19 in Immigration Detention Data Transparency Act This bill requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to collect and report various information about detained individuals, including data on COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) testing. During the COVID-19-related declared public health emergency and for one year after, ICE, CBP, and ORR shall publicly post on a website certain data about its detention facilities, including COVID-19 testing numbers for detained individuals and detention facility staff, COVID-19 case outcomes, vaccinations, and COVID-19-related information about detained individuals who were released or removed from the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shall issue guidance as to the COVID-19-related data that ICE, CBP, and ORR must collect and report weekly to the CDC. The CDC shall periodically report to Congress a summary of this data and an analysis of the trends and pattern of the spread of the disease. ICE, CPB, and ORR shall ensure that each detained individual receives all medical records related to any COVID-19 test administered to the individual. ICE, CPB, and ORR shall also report to Congress on (1) the COVID-19 safety protocols in its facilities, and (2) information relating to their efforts to ensure that each detained individual has access to legal counsel. This bill's data collection and reporting requirements that apply to ICE, CPB, and ORR shall also apply to any contract facilities that they use to hold detained individuals.

Destigmatizing in Immigration Act This bill removes various immigration-related penalties pertaining to marijuana and addresses related issues. Specifically, offenses involving marijuana use, possession, or distribution shall not be grounds for (1) barring an alien from admission into the United States, (2) removing an alien from the United States, or (3) finding that an alien lacks good moral character for immigration purposes. An alien who was previously barred or deported due to such marijuana-related offenses shall be readmitted into the United States. Under this bill, the distribution of marijuana shall not constitute an aggravated felony for immigration purposes. Furthermore, the bill repeals a statutory provision stating that habitual drunkards lack good moral character for immigration purposes.

Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2021 This bill establishes the Advisory Council to Support Victims of Gun Violence. Among other things, the advisory council must assess the needs of victims of gun violence and disseminate information about helpful resources.

Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2021 This bill provides for the automatic acquisition of citizenship for certain individuals adopted by a U.S. citizen. A child born outside the United States and adopted by a U.S. citizen shall automatically acquire citizenship upon meeting certain requirements, regardless of when the adoption was finalized. Currently, adoptees who were over the age of 18 on February 27, 2001, do not automatically acquire citizenship. An individual born outside the United States and residing in the United States shall automatically acquire citizenship if the individual (1) was adopted by a citizen before becoming 18 years old, (2) was physically present in the United States in the citizen parent's custody pursuant to lawful admission before becoming 18 years old, (3) never acquired citizenship before this bill's enactment, and (4) was lawfully residing in the United States on this bill's enactment date. An individual born outside the United States and residing outside the United States but who otherwise meets all of the requirements shall automatically acquire citizenship upon being physically present in the United States pursuant to lawful admission. Such an individual shall be subject to a background check. If the background check reveals the individual has committed a crime that was not properly resolved, the individual may not receive a visa unless the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State have coordinated with law enforcement to ensure that action was taken to resolve the issue.

George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to take specified steps to address accreditation standards, management operations, and misconduct of law enforcement. Specifically, it requires DOJ to develop uniform accreditation standards for law enforcement agencies and adopt policies and procedures to encourage law enforcement agencies to pursue accreditation. It authorizes DOJ to make grants to law enforcement agencies to obtain accreditation from certified organizations. The bill authorizes DOJ to make grants for studying law enforcement agency management and operations standards and developing pilot programs to address law enforcement misconduct. DOJ must study the prevalence and effect of any law, rule, or procedure that allows a law enforcement officer to delay the investigation and prosecution of complaints of law enforcement misconduct. The bill also establishes the Task Force on Law Enforcement Oversight to coordinate the detection and referral of complaints of alleged law enforcement misconduct. Law enforcement agencies must report data regarding practices on traffic violation stops, pedestrian stops, frisk and body searches, and use of deadly force. Finally, DOJ must create a medallion for survivors of each law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty and memorialized on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

Tax Filer Voter Registration Act or the Filer Voter Act This bill treats certain tax return preparers as voter registration agencies. Specifically, the bill requires tax return preparers who prepare at least 100 individual tax returns in a taxable year to provide voter registration application forms to their customers. The form must be made available by (1) displaying copies of the form in the preparer's office for customers who receive in-person services, and (2) providing a hyperlink to the form for customers who receive online services. The bill also outlines the responsibilities of the Department of the Treasury to enable certified volunteer tax preparers to meet the requirements of the bill.

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act This bill prohibits employment practices that discriminate against making reasonable accommodations for qualified employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. A qualified employee is an employee or applicant who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position, with specified exceptions. Specifically, the bill declares that it is an unlawful employment practice to fail to make reasonable accommodations to known limitations of such employees unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on an entity's business operation; require a qualified employee affected by such condition to accept an accommodation other than any reasonable accommodation arrived at through an interactive process; deny employment opportunities based on the need of the entity to make such reasonable accommodations to a qualified employee; require such employees to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided; or take adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against a qualified employee requesting or using such reasonable accommodations. The bill sets forth enforcement procedures and remedies that cover different types of employees in relation to such unlawful employment practices. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must provide examples of reasonable accommodations that shall be provided to affected employees unless the employer can demonstrate that doing so would impose an undue hardship. The bill prohibits state immunity under the Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution from an action for a violation of this bill.