I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7506 
To provide a civil remedy for individuals harmed in lawless jurisdictions, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 9, 2020 
Mr. BUDD (for himself and Mr. ROY) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide a civil remedy for individuals harmed in lawless 
jurisdictions, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Justice for Victims 
of Lawless Cities Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘lawless jurisdiction’’ means a 
designated area in a State or political subdivision of a 
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State, which State or political subdivision has a statute, 
ordinance, policy, or practice in effect that, despite ongo-
ing danger to individuals or property, allows any entity 
or official of the State or political subdivision of the State 
to, in such designated area, purposefully— 
(1) refuse to provide police, fire, or emergency 
medical services to 1 or more individuals in the 
State or political subdivision of the State; or 
(2) abdicate the reserved powers of the State or 
political subdivision of the State, to be performed by 
non-governmental actors in a manner that is detri-
mental to the health, safety, and welfare of the citi-
zens of the State or political subdivision of the 
State. 
SEC. 3. CIVIL ACTION FOR HARM IN A LAWLESS JURISDIC-
TION. 
(a) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.— 
(1) CAUSE OF ACTION.—Any individual, or a 
spouse, parent, or child of such individual (if the in-
dividual is deceased or permanently incapacitated), 
who is the victim of a murder, rape, or any felony 
(as defined by the State) which occurred in a lawless 
jurisdiction may bring an action for compensatory 
damages against a State or a political subdivision of 
a State in the appropriate Federal or State court. 
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(2) BURDEN OF PROOF.—In an action under 
paragraph (1), the court shall find in favor of the 
plaintiff if the plaintiff shows by a preponderance of 
the evidence that the harm described in paragraph 
(1) occurred in a lawless jurisdiction located in the 
State or political subdivision of a State. 
(3) STATUTE
OF
LIMITATIONS.—An action 
brought under this subsection may not be brought 
later than 10 years after the occurrence of the 
crime, or death of a person as a result of such 
crime, whichever occurs later. 
(4) ATTORNEY’S FEE AND OTHER COSTS.—In 
any action or proceeding under this subsection the 
court shall allow a prevailing plaintiff a reasonable 
attorney’s fee as part of the costs, and include ex-
pert fees as part of the attorney’s fee. 
(5) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—In the case of 
an entity that is harmed as a result of a felony (as 
defined by the State) which occurred in a lawless ju-
risdiction, the owner of the entity may bring an ac-
tion under paragraph (1). 
(b) WAIVER OF IMMUNITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any State or political sub-
division of a State that accepts a grant described in 
paragraph (2) from the Federal Government shall 
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agree, as a condition of receiving such grant, to 
waive any immunity of such State or political sub-
division relating to a civil action described in sub-
section (a). 
(2) GRANTS DESCRIBED.—The grants described 
in this paragraph are— 
(A) a grant for public works and economic 
development under section 201(a) of the Public 
Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3141(a)); 
(B) a grant for planning and administra-
tive expenses under section 203(a) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 3143(a)); 
(C) a supplemental grant under section 
205(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3145(b)); 
(D) a grant for training, research, and 
technical assistance under section 207(a) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 3147(a)); and 
(E) except as provided in paragraph (3), a 
community development block grant made pur-
suant to title I of the Housing and Community 
Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et 
seq.). 
(3) EXCEPTION.—Grants described in para-
graph (2)(E) shall not include any disaster relief 
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grants to address the damage in an area for which 
the President has declared a disaster under title IV 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.). 
Æ 
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