Rep. Mark Pocan

SESTA/FOSTA Examination of Secondary Effects for Sex Workers Study Act or the SAFE SEX Workers Study Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to study the impacts of the reduction in access to certain websites and other interactive computer services resulting from the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 on individuals engaged in adult, consensual sex work. Specifically, HHS must study the impacts of the reduction on the health and safety of individuals engaged in transactional sex while DOJ must study the impacts of the reduction on human trafficking investigations and prosecutions.

Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2022 This bill prohibits government entities and insurance providers from denying community-based services to individuals with disabilities that require long-term service or support that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life. Specifically, these entities may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by such actions as imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, or waiting lists or failing to provide a specific community-based service. Additionally, community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives. The bill requires the Department of Justice to issue regulations requiring government entities and insurance providers to offer community-based long-term services to individuals with such disabilities who would otherwise qualify for institutional placement. Government entities must ensure sufficient availability of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing that is not a disability-specific residential setting or a setting where services are tied to tenancy. Regulations shall also (1) require government entities and insurance providers to perform self-evaluation on current services, policies, and practices and concerning compliance with requirements of this bill; and (2) require government entities to submit a transition plan. The bill provides funds for FY2022 for the Department of Health and Human Services to provide technical assistance with respect to transition plans. The bill allows civil actions by individuals subjected to, or about to be subjected to, a violation of its requirements.

Schedules That Work Act This bill provides employees with the right to request changes to their work schedules related to the number of hours they are required to work or be on call, the location of the work, the amount of notification about work schedule assignments, and fluctuations in work hours. Employers must negotiate in good faith with employees who make such requests and comply with certain work schedule notice and split shift pay requirements for retail, food service, cleaning, hospitality, or warehouse employees.

Hemp Advancement Act of 2022 This bill makes various changes to federal requirements that apply to growing hemp, including requirements related to the permitted amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and hemp testing in laboratories. The bill also allows individuals who have been convicted of certain drug-related felonies to obtain hemp licenses, which is currently prohibited for 10 years after the conviction.

End Prison Gerrymandering Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce, beginning with the 2030 decennial census, to attribute an individual incarcerated in a correctional center to the individual's last place of residence before incarceration. Further, a state must treat such an individual's last place of residence in the state before incarceration as the individual's place of residence for purposes of congressional redistricting.

Climate Resilience Workforce Act This bill sets forth provisions to establish a climate resilience workforce, a national climate resilience action plan, an Office of Climate Resilience within the White House, and related efforts and entities.

Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act of 2021 This bill establishes programs, grants, and other activities to address substance use disorders. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must establish a program for purchasing and distributing opioid overdose reversal drugs for states and Indian tribes. HHS must also award grants for and otherwise support addressing substance use, particularly in states, tribes, territories, and localities with disproportionately high drug overdose rates; increasing access to preventive, medical, recovery, and related services; developing innovative models of delivering treatment and harm reduction services; and expanding the treatment capacity of Medicaid providers. In addition, HHS must issue model standards of care for treatment services and recovery residences and may award grants for training health care professionals. The bill also supports prevention and treatment services for workers, addiction and pain management research, and data collection on substance use disorders. Further, dispensers, distributors, and manufacturers of schedule II controlled substances (e.g., oxycodone), with the exception of opioid treatment programs, must certify that they maintain effective drug diversion controls. Violators are subject to specified civil and criminal penalties. Collected penalties shall be used for the grant programs and other substance use disorder activities established under the bill.

Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal HIV Discrimination Act of 2022 or the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act of 2022 This bill addresses federal and state laws, policies, and regulations that may burden people living with HIV/AIDS. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the White House Office of National AIDS Policy to initiate a national review of federal (including military) and state laws, policies, regulations, and judicial precedents and decisions regarding criminal and related civil commitment cases involving people living with HIV/AIDS. DOJ must transmit to Congress and make publicly available the results of such review with related recommendations. The White House Office of National AIDS Policy must also develop and publicly release guidance to assist states with handling relevant cases. The office, DOJ, HHS, and DOD must transmit to the President and Congress any proposals necessary to implement adjustments to federal laws, policies, or regulations. This bill shall not be construed to discourage the prosecution of individuals who act with the intent to do harm to another individual by intentionally transmitting HIV.

Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination in the Workplace Act or the BE HEARD in the Workplace Act This bill expands protections against discrimination and harassment in the workplace and raises the minimum wage for tipped employees. Specifically, the bill (1) makes it an unlawful employment practice to discriminate against an individual in the workplace based on sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, or a sex stereotype; and (2) provides a statutory definition for what constitutes workplace harassment. Further, these protections apply to all workplaces, regardless of size, and to all workers, including independent contractors, interns, volunteers, and trainees. The bill prohibits employers from entering into contracts or agreements with workers that contain certain nondisparagement or nondisclosure clauses and prohibits certain predispute arbitration agreements and postdispute agreements. It also establishes grant programs to (1) prevent and respond to workplace discrimination and harassment, (2) provide legal assistance for low-income workers, and (3) establish a system of legal advocacy in states to protect the rights of workers. The bill further provides employees the right to retain their tips and it increases, in specified annual increments, the minimum wage for tipped employees to match the federal minimum wage for nontipped employees. Additionally, the bill requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to provide specified training and resource materials, establish and convene a harassment prevention task force, and establish an Office of Education and Outreach with regard to prohibited discrimination and harassment in employment. The bill also requires specified studies, reports, and research on prohibited workplace harassment.

Customer Non-Discrimination Act This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity with respect to public accommodations and facilities. Specifically, the bill defines and includes sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation. The bill expands the definition of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide (1) exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; (2) goods, services, or programs; and (3) transportation services. Protections against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin shall include protections against discrimination based on (1) an association with another person who is a member of such a protected class; or (2) a perception or belief, even if inaccurate, that an individual is a member of such a protected class. The bill prohibits the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 from providing a claim, defense, or basis for challenging such protections. The bill prohibits an individual from being denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity. The bill also prohibits the provision of less favorable treatment with respect to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions as compared to other physical conditions.