First Step Implementation Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-1014
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2021-03-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Evidence and witnesses
Government information and archives
Judicial review and appeals
Juvenile crime and gang violence
Lawyers and legal services
Personnel records

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-25
text: 

First Step Implementation Act of 2021

 
This bill makes various changes related to federal sentencing law and requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish procedures to ensure the prompt release and accuracy of employment-related background check records. 
 
The bill
 
 
allows certain reduced mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses to be applied retroactively to offenders who committed their offenses on or before December 21, 2018; 
 
permits a court, in certain circumstances, to grant safety valve relief (i.e., impose a sentence without regard to the statutory mandatory minimum penalty for certain drug offenses) for an otherwise eligible defendant who does not meet the requirement pertaining to criminal history; 
 
permits a court to reduce a sentence imposed on a defendant convicted as an adult for an offense committed as a juvenile if the defendant has served at least 20 years of the sentence; 
 
establishes a process to seal and expunge certain records of juvenile nonviolent offenses; and 
 
requires DOJ to establish and enforce procedures to ensure that records exchanged for employment-related background checks are promptly released and accurate. 
 

action_date: 2021-07-12
text: 

First Step Implementation Act of 2021

 
This bill makes various changes related to federal sentencing law and requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish procedures to ensure the prompt release and accuracy of employment-related background check records. 
 
The bill
 
 
allows certain reduced mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses to be applied retroactively to offenders who committed their offenses on or before December 21, 2018; 
 
permits a court, in certain circumstances, to grant safety valve relief (i.e., impose a sentence without regard to the statutory mandatory minimum penalty for certain drug offenses) for an otherwise eligible defendant who does not meet the requirement pertaining to criminal history; 
 
permits a court to reduce a sentence imposed on a defendant convicted as an adult for an offense committed as a juvenile if the defendant has served at least 20 years of the sentence; 
 
establishes a process to seal and expunge certain records of juvenile nonviolent offenses; and 
 
requires DOJ to establish and enforce procedures to ensure that records exchanged for employment-related background checks are promptly released and accurate. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-07-12
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 98.
action_date: 2021-07-12
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Durbin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-07-12
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Durbin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-06-10
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2021-03-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S1820-1826)
action_date: 2021-03-25
text: Introduced in Senate