Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act

Bill: 109-s-2679
Sponsor: Sen. Talent, Jim [R-MO]
Introduced: 2006-04-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil rights enforcement
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Conspiracy
Criminal investigation
Department of Justice
Evidence (Law)
Executive reorganization
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Federal law enforcement officers
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Governmental investigations
Housing and Community Development
Housing discrimination
Kidnapping
Murder
Police-community relations
Prosecution
Prostitution
Sex crimes
Sex-oriented businesses
Slavery

Summary:
action_date: 2006-04-27
text: 
Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act - Establishes an Unsolved Crimes Section in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and an Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Investigative Office in the Civil Rights Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Requires the Chief of the Section (Chief) and the Chief Investigator of the Office to be responsible for investigating violations of criminal civil rights statutes in which the complaint alleges that such a violation occurred not later than December 31, 1969, and resulted in a death. Requires the Chief Investigator to refer complaints determined to have violated a criminal rights statute to the Chief, who shall be responsible for prosecuting such violations.
 
Requires the Chief to: (1) consult with state or local officials regarding the appropriate venue for a case where there has been a violation of a criminal civil rights statute that is also a violation of a state or local law; and (2) refer cases to the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division if the Chief determines that the subject of the complaint has violated a criminal civil rights statute but the violation does not meet the requirements for the Unsolved Crimes Section.
 
Requires the Chief, annually, to determine and report on the cases under his or her jurisdiction for which there is sufficient evidence to prosecute violations of criminal civil rights statutes.
 
 Authorizes additional appropriations to the Community Relations Service of DOJ to provide technical assistance by bringing together law enforcement agencies and communities in the investigation of criminal civil rights statutes.

action_date: 2006-08-03
text: 
Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act - (Sec. 4) Establishes an Unsolved Civil Rights Era Crimes Unit in the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and an Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Investigative Office in the Civil Rights Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 
 
Requires the Deputy of the Section and the Deputy Investigator of the Office to be responsible for investigating violations of criminal civil rights statutes in which the complaint alleges that such a violation occurred not later than December 31, 1969, and resulted in a death. Requires the Deputy Investigator to: (1) determine whether the subject of a complaint has violated a criminal rights statute; and (2) refer such determination and complaint to the Deputy, who shall be responsible for prosecuting violations.
 
Requires the Deputy to: (1) consult with state or local officials regarding the appropriate venue for a case where there has been a violation of a criminal civil rights statute that is also a violation of a state or local law; and (2) refer cases to the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division if the Deputy determines that the subject of the complaint has violated a criminal civil rights statute but the violation did not occur later than December 31, 1969, and result in a death.
 
Requires the Deputy, annually, to study and report to Congress on the cases under the jurisdiction of the Deputy or the Chief Investigator of the Unit for which there is sufficient evidence and for which there is insufficient evidence to prosecute violations of criminal civil rights statutes.
 
Gives the FBI the discretion to reallocate investigative personnel to jurisdictions to carry out the goals of this Act.
 
 (Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations for FY2007-FY2016. Authorizes appropriations to the Community Relations Service of DOJ to provide technical assistance by bringing together law enforcement agencies and communities in the investigation of criminal civil rights statutes.
 
(Sec. 7) Terminates the Act at the end of FY2016.
 
(Sec. 8) Amends the Crime Control Act of 1990 to allow Inspectors General to authorize staff to assist the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by conducting reviews of inactive case files to develop recommendations for further investigations. Prohibits an Inspector General from permitting staff to engage in such activities if they will interfere with the Inspector General's duties.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-08-03
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 579.
action_date: 2006-08-03
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2006-08-03
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2006-08-03
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2006-04-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2006-04-27
text: Introduced in Senate