National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act

Bill: 110-s-1515
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2007-05-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congress
Congressional investigations
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Family violence
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Internet
Law
Lawyers
Legal education
Legal services
Nonprofit organizations
Professional associations
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Stalking
Victims of crimes

Summary:
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: 
National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act - Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence to work in collaboration with the American Bar Association Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and other organizations to create, recruit lawyers for, and provide training, mentoring, and technical assistance for a National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network.

 Requires the Office on Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice to designate five states in which to implement the pilot program of a National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Referral Project and distribute funds under this Act.

Requires the Attorney General to award grants to national domestic violence legal technical assistance providers to expand their services to provide training and ongoing technical assistance to volunteer attorneys in the National Domestic Violence Volunteer Network, statewide legal coordinators, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and Internet-based legal referral organizations.

Authorizes the Attorney General to: (1) award grants to the National Domestic Violence Hotline to provide information about statewide legal coordinators and legal services; and (2) award grants to Internet-based non-profit organizations with a demonstrated expertise on domestic violence to provide state-specific information about statewide legal coordinators and legal services through the Internet. 

Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study and report to Congress on the scope and quality of legal representation and advocacy for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, including the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

Directs the Attorney General to establish the Domestic Violence Legal Advisory Task Force.

action_date: 2008-07-29
text: 
National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act - Amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 to authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence to work in collaboration with the American Bar Association Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and other organizations to create, recruit lawyers for, and provide training, mentoring, and technical assistance for a National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network. Authorizes appropriations for such grants for FY2008-FY2013.
 
Requires the Commission on Domestic Violence, in developing and implementing the national volunteer attorney network, to partner, when possible, and for fair compensation, with one or more national domestic violence organizations with demonstrated expertise in providing training and technical assistance to a national audience.
 
Requires the Office on Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice to designate five states in which to implement the pilot program of a National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Referral Project and distribute funds under this Act. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2013 to fund at least one statewide coordinator position and other costs associated with the position in the five pilot program states.
 
Requires the Attorney General to award grants to national domestic violence legal technical assistance providers to expand their services to provide training and ongoing technical assistance to volunteer attorneys in the National Domestic Violence Volunteer Network, statewide legal coordinators, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and Internet-based legal referral organizations. Authorizes appropriations for such providers for FY2008-FY2013.
 
Authorizes the Attorney General to: (1) award grants to the National Domestic Violence Hotline to provide information about statewide legal coordinators and legal services; and (2) award grants to Internet-based nonprofit organizations with a demonstrated expertise on domestic violence to provide state-specific information about statewide legal coordinators and legal services through the Internet. Authorizes appropriations for both kinds of grant for FY2008-FY2013.
 
Directs the National Institute of Justice to study and report to Congress on the scope and quality of legal representation and advocacy for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, including the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
 
Directs the Attorney General to establish the Domestic Violence Legal Advisory Task Force. Authorizes appropriations for the Task Force for FY2008-FY2013.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-29
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 909.
action_date: 2008-07-29
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-07-29
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6878-6879)
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6877)
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: Introduced in Senate