Sarah Collins Rudolph Civil Rights Compensation Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4508 | Sponsor: Rep. Bacon, Don (R-NE)
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Summary:
Sarah Collins Rudolph Civil Rights Compensation Act of 2021
This bill requires the Bureau of Justice Assistance to pay compensation to direct victims of civil rights era violence.
An individual is a direct victim and may receive payment if the individual (1) is a U.S. citizen, (2) sustained an injury as a result of racial violence during the civil rights era, (3) can provide evidence of the injury sustained through medical records, and (4) is incurring expenses related to that injury.
The benefit amount is the cost of the individual's medical care associated with the injury, as demonstrated by the direct victim's medical records.
A family member of a direct victim shall be eligible for a benefit if he or she is responsible for the costs related to the injury and the direct victim is deceased.

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
 provide compensation for direct victims of civil rights era violence, 
                        and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sarah Collins Rudolph Civil Rights 
Compensation Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. COMPENSATION FOR DIRECT VICTIMS OF CIVIL RIGHTS ERA VIOLENCE.

    Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 
is amended by adding at the end the following new part:

         ``PART PP--DIRECT VICTIMS OF CIVIL RIGHTS ERA VIOLENCE

``SEC. 3056. COMPENSATION FOR DIRECT VICTIMS OF CIVIL RIGHTS ERA 
              VIOLENCE.

    ``(a) In General.--In any case in which Director of the Bureau of 
Justice Assistance determines under regulations issued pursuant to this 
section, that an individual is a direct victim of civil rights era 
violence, the Director shall pay a benefit pursuant to subsection (c) 
to such individual.
    ``(b) Direct Victim of Civil Rights Era Violence Described.--An 
individual is a direct victim of civil rights era violence and may 
receive a payment under subsection (a) if--
            ``(1) the individual is an citizen of the United States;
            ``(2) the individual sustained an injury as a result of 
        racial violence during the civil rights era;
            ``(3) the individual can provide evidence of the injury 
        sustained through medical records; and
            ``(4) the individual is incurring expenses (as of the date 
        of the enactment of the `Sarah Collins Rudolph Civil Rights 
        Compensation Act of 2021') related to the injury.
    ``(c) Benefit Amount.--A direct victim described under subsection 
(b) shall be eligible for a benefit under subsection (a) in the amount 
that is equal to the cost of the individual's medical care associated 
with the injury sustained during the civil rights era, as demonstrated 
by the medical records of such direct victim.
    ``(d) Survivors of a Direct Victim.-- A family member of a direct 
victim described in subsection (b) shall be eligible for a benefit 
under subsection (a) if such family member is responsible for the costs 
related to the injury sustained during the civil rights era and the 
direct victim is deceased.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Civil rights era.--The term `civil rights era' means 
        the time period of 1954 through 1965.
            ``(2) Family member.--The term `family member' means--
                    ``(A) a person to whom the direct victim of civil 
                rights era violence is legally married, even if 
                physically separated, under the laws of the 
                jurisdiction where the marriage took place; and
                    ``(B) a child that is natural, illegitimate, 
                adopted, posthumous, or a stepchild of the direct 
                victim of civil rights era violence.
            ``(3) Injury.--The term `injury' means--
                    ``(A) a traumatic physical wound (or a traumatized 
                physical condition of the body) directly and 
                proximately caused by external force (such as bullets, 
                explosives, sharp instruments, blunt objects, or 
                physical blows), chemicals, electricity, climatic 
                conditions, infectious disease, radiation, virii, or 
                bacteria; and
                    ``(B) any associated or resulting traumatic 
                physical wound that occurred as a result of a traumatic 
                physical wound described in subparagraph (A), even if 
                such resulting traumatic physical wound did not occur 
                during the civil rights era.
            ``(4) Medical records.--The term `medical records' includes 
        medical records and bills that document an injury during the 
        civil rights era.''.
                                 <all>