II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4646 

To provide grants to State and local governments that enact right to counsel 

legislation for low-income tenants facing eviction, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 9, 2024 

Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WYDEN, Ms. WARREN, and 

Mr. SANDERS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

A BILL 

To provide grants to State and local governments that enact 

right to counsel legislation for low-income tenants facing 

eviction, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Eviction Right to 

5 Counsel Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. EVICTION RIGHT TO COUNSEL FUND. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 (1) COVERED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘covered 

9 individual’’ means a tenant with an income that is 


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1 equal to or less than 200 percent of the Federal pov2 erty line. 

3 (2) COVERED PROCEEDING.—The term ‘‘cov4 ered proceeding’’ means a civil action in a court or 

5 administrative forum for— 

6 (A) eviction, or an equivalent ejectment, 

7 from the primary residence of the tenant; or 

8 (B) the termination of a housing subsidy. 

9 (3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti10 ty’’ means a State government, a local government, 

11 or an Indian Tribal government. 

12 (4) FUND.—The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Evic13 tion Right to Counsel Fund established under sub14 section (b). 

15 (5) INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.—The term 

16 ‘‘Indian Tribal government’’ has the meaning given 

17 the term ‘‘Indian tribal government’’ in section 102 

18 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer19 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122). 

20 (6) RIGHT TO COUNSEL LEGISLATION.—The 

21 term ‘‘right to counsel legislation’’ means legislation 

22 that specifies that full legal representation shall be 

23 provided at no cost to all covered individuals in a 

24 covered proceeding. 


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1 (7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

2 the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 

3 (8) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 

4 the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and any ter5 ritory or possession of the United States. 

6 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the 

8 Treasury of the United States a fund to be known 

9 as the ‘‘Eviction Right to Counsel Fund’’ consisting 

10 of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under 

11 paragraph (2). 

12 (2) DEPOSITS TO THE FUND.—There are au13 thorized to be appropriated to the Fund 

14 $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 

15 2029 for the cost of making grants under subsection 

16 (c). 

17 (c) GRANTS.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 

19 a program to provide grants to eligible entities that 

20 enact right to counsel legislation. 

21 (2) APPLICATION.— 

22 (A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity that 

23 desires a grant from the Secretary under this 

24 subsection shall submit to the Secretary an ap25 plication at such time, in such manner, and acVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:39 Aug 09, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4646.IS S4646

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1 companied by such information as the Secretary 

2 may reasonably require. 

3 (B) REQUIREMENT.—An application sub4 mitted under subparagraph (A) shall include a 

5 certification that the eligible entity has enacted 

6 right to counsel legislation. 

7 (3) PRIORITY.—In selecting applicants under 

8 this section, the Secretary shall prioritize funding 

9 for eligible entities that— 

10 (A) have enacted laws that— 

11 (i) limit the causes for which a land12 lord can evict a tenant or refuse to renew 

13 the lease of a tenant when the tenant is 

14 not at fault or in violation of any law; 

15 (ii) require adequate written notice 

16 periods of not less than 30 days for ten17 ants facing eviction; 

18 (iii) establish eviction diversion pro19 grams; or 

20 (iv) provide emergency rental assist21 ance to tenants; or 

22 (B) will prioritize using grant funds for 

23 the training and recruitment of attorneys to 

24 provide representation for covered individuals in 

25 a covered proceeding. 


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1 (4) USE OF FUNDS.—A recipient of a grant 

2 under this section may use the grant funds for the 

3 costs incurred by right to counsel legislation, includ4 ing providing training resources for attorneys rep5 resenting covered individuals in covered proceedings. 

Æ 


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