Real Justice for Our Veterans Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4035 | Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila (D-TX)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Real Justice for Our Veterans Act of 2021
This bill expands data collection on the effectiveness of veteran treatment court programs, incentivizes local governments to improve retention rates in veteran treatment court programs and drug court programs, and expands options for veterans to participate in drug court programs.
First, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to report on the effectiveness of veteran treatment court programs. The report must assess the population served by the programs, whether the programs use evidence-based treatments, the recidivism rates of participants, and program completion rates. The report must also assess whether women and racial and ethnic minorities have equal access to the programs and an equal opportunity to participate.
Second, the bill requires DOJ's Bureau of Justice Assistance to implement a pilot program to make grants for local governments to improve retention in veteran treatment court programs and drug court programs.
Finally, this bill allows a veteran (including a veteran who is a violent offender) to participate in a drug court program instead of a veteran treatment court program if a jurisdiction does not operate a veteran treatment court program.

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
 prioritize veterans court treatment programs that ensure equal access 
  for racial and ethnic minorities and women, 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 ``Real Justice for Our Veterans Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. EQUAL ACCESS TO VETERANS COURT TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR RACIAL 
              AND ETHNIC MINORITIES AND WOMEN.

    Section 2991(i)(2) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 
Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10651(i)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
                    ``(C) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the 
                date of enactment of this subparagraph, the Attorney 
                General shall submit to Congress a report on the 
                effectiveness of veterans treatment court programs. In 
                preparing such a report, the Attorney General shall 
                conduct a national multi-site evaluation of such 
                programs, including an assessment of--
                            ``(i) the population served by such 
                        programs;
                            ``(ii) whether such programs use evidence-
                        based treatments for substance use and mental 
                        health, including medication for addiction 
                        treatment;
                            ``(iii) recidivism rates of participants in 
                        such programs;
                            ``(iv) program completion rates; and
                            ``(v) whether racial and ethnic minorities 
                        and women have equal access to such programs 
                        and an equal opportunity to complete such 
                        programs, including by collecting and analyzing 
                        data related to admission in such programs and 
                        completion of such programs, to ensure there 
                        are not disparities related to race, ethnicity, 
                        or sex.''.

SEC. 3. VETERANS PILOT PROGRAM ON PROMISING RETENTION MODELS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Attorney General, acting through the 
Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, shall carry out a pilot 
program to make grants to eligible units of local government to improve 
retention in veterans treatment court programs (as such term is defined 
in section 2991 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 
1968 (34 U.S.C. 10651)) and drug court programs.
    (b) Eligibility.--In order to be eligible for a grant under 
subsection (a), a unit of local government shall operate a veterans 
treatment court program or a drug court.
    (c) Application.--A unit of local government seeking a grant 
through the pilot program under subsection (a) shall submit to the 
Attorney General an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Attorney General may reasonably 
require, including--
            (1) a description of the therapeutic or treatment modality 
        that the unit of local government plans to implement and data 
        to support the use of the therapeutic or treatment modality, 
        including information showing how the therapeutic or treatment 
        modality will promote retention in and completion of veterans 
        treatment court programs and drug court programs; and
            (2) detailed plans on how the applicant would test the 
        efficacy of the therapeutic or treatment modality.
    (d) Reporting Metrics.--Not later than 180 days after receiving a 
grant under subsection (a), a unit of local government shall submit to 
the Attorney General a report, which includes demographic information 
of participants in the veterans treatment court program, and completion 
rates of such participants. The Attorney General shall develop 
guidelines for the report required under this subsection.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2027 to 
carry out this section.

SEC. 4. ADMISSION OF VETERANS TO DRUG COURTS.

    In the case of a jurisdiction that does not operate a veterans 
treatment court program (as such term is defined in section 2991 of the 
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10651)), 
but that does operate a drug court under part EE of the Omnibus Crime 
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10611 et seq.), a 
veteran who would be eligible to participate in a veterans treatment 
court program may participate in the drug court, including a veteran 
who is a violent offender (as such term is defined in section 2953(a) 
of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 
10613(a))).

            Passed the House of Representatives October 27, 2021.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.