RESPONSE Act of 2022
Bill: S.4462 | Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine (D-NV)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Reaching Every Survivor with Police and On-site Nonprofit Services Evaluations Act of 2022 or the RESPONSE Act of 2022
This bill requires the Office on Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice to establish a pilot program under which community-based organizations or victim service providers may dispatch victim advocates to crime scenes involving domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking.

To establish a pilot program within the Office on Violence Against 
 Women of the Department of Justice relating to advocacy for domestic 
 violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking victims, 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 ``Reaching Every Survivor with Police 
and On-site Nonprofit Services Evaluations Act of 2022'' or the 
``RESPONSE Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Dating violence; domestic violence; victim advocate.--
        The terms ``dating violence'', ``domestic violence'', and 
        ``victim advocate'' have the meaning given those term in 
        section 40002 of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 
        U.S.C. 12291).
            (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the Office on Violence Against Women of the Department of 
        Justice.
            (3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        community-based organization or a victim service provider (as 
        defined in section 40002 of the Violence Against Women Act of 
        1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291)) that--
                    (A) has demonstrated capacity to assist victims of 
                domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or 
                stalking in crisis through a victim advocate program;
                    (B) is prepared to provide victim-centered, 
                culturally relevant, and trauma-informed services to 
                victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating 
                violence, or stalking;
                    (C) has a cooperative agreement or memorandum of 
                understanding in effect with a local law enforcement 
                agency that indicates a partnership in responding to 
                domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or 
                stalking; and
                    (D) operates a transitional shelter for domestic or 
                sexual assault victims or has a cooperative agreement 
                with a local transitional shelter that can house 
                victims assisted by a victim advocate of the eligible 
                entity on the crime scene of a domestic violence, 
                sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking call if 
                necessary.
            (4) Law enforcement agency.--The term ``law enforcement 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term ``law enforcement'' in 
        section 40002 of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 
        U.S.C. 12291).
            (5) Law enforcement officer.--The term ``law enforcement 
        officer'' means an agent of a law enforcement agency with 
        responsibilities to provide public safety.
    (b) Pilot Program Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--The Director shall establish a pilot 
        program under which the Director awards competitive grants to 
        eligible entities for the purpose of working collaboratively 
        with local law enforcement agencies to dispatch victim 
        advocates to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating 
        violence, or stalking crime scenes in accordance with paragraph 
        (2).
            (2) Crime scene advocacy.--With respect to a crime scene to 
        which a victim advocate is dispatched under paragraph (1)--
                    (A) the victim advocate shall arrive at the crime 
                scene--
                            (i) after the crime scene is secured by a 
                        law enforcement officer;
                            (ii) when an arrest is made; or
                            (iii) when there is probable cause to make 
                        an arrest, but the perpetrator of the crime has 
                        fled; and
                    (B) a law enforcement officer shall remain at the 
                crime scene while the victim advocate meets with a 
                victim.
            (3) Victim confidentiality.--A victim of domestic violence, 
        sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking who receives 
        advice, counseling, or assistance from a victim advocate under 
        this subsection shall have the privilege to refuse to disclose, 
        and to prevent any other person from disclosing, confidential 
        communications.
            (4) Minimum number of awards.--The Director shall award not 
        fewer than 3 grants under this subsection.
    (c) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under 
subsection (b) shall submit to the Director an application at such at 
such time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by such 
information as the Director may reasonably require.
    (d) Duration; Stages.--
            (1) In general.--The pilot program established under 
        subsection (b) shall terminate on the date that is 3 years 
        after the date on which the Director notifies the first 
        eligible entity that eligible entity is receiving a grant under 
        the pilot program.
            (2) 2nd and final years.--During the 2-year period 
        beginning on the date on which the Director awards a grant 
        under this section, the Director shall continue to implement 
        the pilot program established under subsection (b).
    (e) Duties of Eligible Entity.--The head of the eligible entity 
shall--
            (1) hire additional staff--
                    (A) to dispatch victim advocates to crime scenes in 
                accordance with subsection (b)(2); or
                    (B) if a crime scene is not accessible to a victim 
                advocate in accordance with subsection (b)(2)(A), to 
                work with the victim of a crime at another location;
            (2) develop policies for collaborating with law enforcement 
        agencies on dispatching victim advocates to domestic violence, 
        sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking crime scenes;
            (3) train the staff and volunteers of the eligible entity 
        and each law enforcement agency with which the eligible entity 
        has a partnership on the policies developed under paragraph 
        (2); and
            (4) begin implementing the pilot program established under 
        subsection (b).
    (f) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
subsection (b) shall use a portion of the grant to--
            (1) acquire or update dispatch software, as necessary; and
            (2) acquire language interpretation services that allow 
        victim advocates to communicate with individuals with limited 
        English proficiency.
    (g) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Director shall make public a report 
        that includes data collection and analysis relating to domestic 
        violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking calls in 
        which victim advocates of the eligible entity were involved 
        during the pilot program established under this section.
            (2) Contents.--The report required under paragraph (1) 
        shall include--
                    (A) a description of the activities and 
                accomplishments of the eligible entity in participating 
                in the pilot program;
                    (B) the total number of times that a victim 
                advocate of the eligible entity was dispatched or 
                arrived to the crime scene of a domestic violence, 
                sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking call;
                    (C) whether the eligible entity observed a 
                reduction in repeat domestic violence, dating violence, 
                sexual assault, or stalking calls;
                    (D) whether victims connected with services of the 
                eligible entity beyond the advocacy occurring at a 
                crime scene; and
                    (E) any other information relating to the pilot 
                program.
    (h) Expansion.--Notwithstanding subsection (d)(1), the Director may 
continue and expand the pilot program by awarding additional grants 
under subsection (b) if, during the third year of the pilot program 
established under this section, the Director determines that data from 
the pilot program is promising in reducing--
            (1) homicides as a result of domestic violence, dating 
        violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and
            (2) repeated calls relating to domestic violence, dating 
        violence, sexual assault, or stalking from the same 
        individuals.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the amounts authorized to 
be appropriated for discretionary grants under part U of title I of the 
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10461 et 
seq.) for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2025, such sums as may be 
necessary are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
for each of those fiscal years.
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