Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018

Bill: 115-hr-2147
Sponsor: Rep. Coffman, Mike [R-CO-6]
Introduced: 2017-04-26 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Criminal procedure and sentencing
Department of Veterans Affairs
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health facilities and institutions
Judicial procedure and administration
Mental health
Specialized courts
State and local courts
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: 

Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2017

 
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to hire at least 50 Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists, place each one at an eligible VA medical center, and ensure that each one serves as part of a justice team in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court.
 
An eligible VA medical center is one that:
 
 
 complies with all VA guidelines and regulations for placement of a specialist; 
 
 works with a veteran with active, ongoing, or recent contact with some component of a local criminal justice system;
 
 maintains an affiliation with one or more veterans treatment courts or other veteran-focused courts; and 
 
 either routinely provides specialists, or establishes a VA-approved plan to provide specialists, to serve as part of a justice team in such a court.
 
 
The VA shall prioritize the placement of specialists at eligible VA medical centers that have an affiliation with such a court that: (1) was established after the date of this bill's enactment, or (2) was established before such date and is not fully staffed with specialists.
 
 
 
 

action_date: 2018-05-18
text: 

Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018

 
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to hire at least 50 Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists under the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. Each of these specialists must serve as part of a justice team in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court.
 
A specialist hired under this bill must be placed at a VA medical center that:
 
 
 complies with VA guidelines for specialist placement;
 
 works within a local criminal justice system with justice-involved veterans;
 
 maintains an affiliation with one or more veterans treatment courts or other veteran-focused courts; and 
 
 provides specialists or establishes a VA-approved plan to provide specialists to serve as part of a justice team.
 
 
The VA shall prioritize the placement of these specialists at medical centers that have an affiliation with a court that was established after this bill's enactment or is not fully staffed with specialists.
 
 The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress on the effectiveness of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program.

action_date: 2018-06-13
text: 

Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018

 
 (Sec. 2) This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to hire at least 50 Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists under the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. Each of these specialists must serve as part of a justice team in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court.
 
A specialist hired under this bill must be placed at a VA medical center that:
 
 
 complies with VA guidelines for specialist placement;
 
 works within a local criminal justice system with justice-involved veterans;
 
 maintains an affiliation with one or more veterans treatment courts or other veteran-focused courts; and 
 
 provides specialists or establishes a VA-approved plan to provide specialists to serve as part of a justice team.
 
 
The VA shall prioritize the placement of these specialists at medical centers that have an affiliation with a court that was established after this bill's enactment or is not fully staffed with specialists.
 
 The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress on the effectiveness of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program.

action_date: 2018-08-22
text: 

Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018

 
 (Sec. 2) This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to hire at least 50 Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists under the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. Each of these specialists must serve as part of a justice team in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court.
 
A specialist hired under this bill must be placed at a VA medical center that:
 
 
 complies with VA guidelines for specialist placement,
 
 works within a local criminal justice system with justice-involved veterans,
 
 maintains an affiliation with one or more veterans treatment courts or other veteran-focused courts, and 
 
 provides specialists or establishes a VA-approved plan to provide specialists to serve as part of a justice team.
 
 
The VA shall prioritize the placement of these specialists at medical centers that have an affiliation with a court that was established after this bill's enactment or is not fully staffed with specialists.
 
 The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress on the effectiveness of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program.

action_date: 2018-09-17
text: 

Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018

 
 (Sec. 2) This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to hire at least 50 Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists under the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. Each of these specialists must serve as part of a justice team in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court.
 
A specialist hired under this bill must be placed at a VA medical center that:
 
 
 complies with VA guidelines for specialist placement,
 
 works within a local criminal justice system with justice-involved veterans,
 
 maintains an affiliation with one or more veterans treatment courts or other veteran-focused courts, and 
 
 provides specialists or establishes a VA-approved plan to provide specialists to serve as part of a justice team.
 
 
The VA shall prioritize the placement of these specialists at medical centers that have an affiliation with a court that was established after this bill's enactment or is not fully staffed with specialists.
 
 The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress on the effectiveness of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-09-17
text: Became Public Law No: 115-240.
action_date: 2018-09-17
text: Became Public Law No: 115-240.
action_date: 2018-09-17
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2018-09-17
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2018-09-05
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2018-09-05
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2018-08-23
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2018-08-22
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5869)
action_date: 2018-08-22
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S5869)
action_date: 2018-06-18
text: Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 466.
action_date: 2018-06-14
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2018-06-13
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2018-06-13
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5133-5134)
action_date: 2018-06-13
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5133-5134)
action_date: 2018-06-13
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2147.
action_date: 2018-06-13
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5133-5135)
action_date: 2018-06-13
text: Mr. Roe (TN) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2018-05-18
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 525.
action_date: 2018-05-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 115-682.
action_date: 2018-05-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 115-682.
action_date: 2018-05-08
text: Subcommittee on Health Discharged.
action_date: 2018-05-08
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2018-05-08
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-09-26
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Introduced in House

Enacted as: number: 115-240