Justice Act

To provide for a reduction in the amount that may be awarded to a unit of local government under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the The Urban and Municipal Justice Act of 2014 Justice Act 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The growing trend of local units of government using traffic fines and traffic court fees and costs as revenue generators promotes unfair, excessive targeting of citizens by law enforcement agents, infringes on civil liberties, and promotes reliance on unpredictable revenue sources. (2) The growing trend of local units of government using traffic fines and traffic court fees and costs as revenue generators has the potential to breed public cynicism and distrust of local law enforcement agencies, and to lessen public confidence that the laws are being enforced impartially and the criminal justice system is administered equally. 3. Reduction in grant funding for units of local government (a) Collection of fines for violations of traffic laws Except as provided in subsection (b), a unit of local government which, during the previous 3 fiscal years, funded an amount that, on average, was greater than 18 percent of its operating budget using revenue generated from collecting fines and other fees related to violations of traffic laws, shall, in the case of a unit of local government receiving grant funds under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. (b) Disproportionate racial composition of law enforcement agencies In the case of a unit of local government described in subsection (a) for which, during the previous fiscal year, the percentage of individuals who identify as a race who were employees of the law enforcement agency for that unit of local government, and the percentage of individuals who identify as that race who live in the jurisdiction which that law enforcement agency serves, differs by greater than 30 percent, the unit of local government shall receive only 5 percent of the grant award that would have otherwise been awarded to that unit of local government under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. (c) Obligation of States A State that receives a grant award under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. (d) Reallocation Any funds withheld from a State or unit of local government from a direct grant award by the Attorney General shall be reallocated in accordance with subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq.

Summary: Urban and Municipal Justice Act of 2014 or the Justice Act - Reduces the amount that would otherwise be awarded to a unit of local government under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program: (1) by 75% for any such unit that, during the previous three fiscal years, funded an amount that on average was greater than 18% of its operating budget using revenue generated from collecting fines and other fees related to violations of traffic laws; and (2) by 95% for any such unit for which, during the previous fiscal year, the percentage of individuals who identify as a race who were employees of the law enforcement agency for that unit and the percentage of individuals who identify as that race who live in the jurisdiction such agency serves differ by greater than 30%. Reduces by 50% the amount that would otherwise be awarded under such Program to a state that did not reduce a subgrant award to a unit of local government in accordance with this Act in the preceding fiscal year. Requires the Attorney General to reallocate funds withheld from a state or unit of local government pursuant to this Act in accordance with the Program.