The People’s Response Act

Bill: 117-hr-4194
Sponsor: Rep. Bush, Cori [D-MO-1]
Introduced: 2021-06-28 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Agricultural marketing and promotion
Child health
Child safety and welfare
Community life and organization
Crime prevention
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Department of Health and Human Services
Detention of persons
Disability and health-based discrimination
Domestic violence and child abuse
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency communications systems
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Environmental health
Evidence and witnesses
Executive agency funding and structure
Family services
First responders and emergency personnel
Food industry and services
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Housing and community development funding
Housing supply and affordability
Immigration status and procedures
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Infrastructure development
Law enforcement administration and funding
Mental health
Nutrition and diet
Racial and ethnic relations
Sex offenses
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Telephone and wireless communication
Violent crime

Summary:
action_date: 2021-06-28
text: 

The People's Response Act

 
This bill establishes multiple grant programs and requirements to promote qualified approaches to community safety. These are programs or services that are disconnected from carceral institutions (e.g., law enforcement, child welfare services, and immigration enforcement).
 
Specifically, the bill establishes the Division of Community Safety within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to administer the grants and carry out related activities. These include grants for community-based organizations to support qualified approaches to community safety, such as
 
 
unarmed first responder agencies and 9-1-1 diversion programs;
 
neighborhood-level interventions, including safe passage to school and violence interruption programs;
 
behavioral health treatment, nutrition support, and other public health programs;
 
housing security programs; and
 
programs for youth and families, survivors of violence, and individuals exiting incarceration or criminal supervision.
 
 
Additionally, the division must administer grants pertaining to qualified approaches for community safety for state and local governments and hiring and training first responders.
 
The bill also establishes an advisory board to oversee the division's activities. Membership on the board must reflect the racial, ethnic, and other demographic diversities of the United States. The board must also include members who have personal experience with the criminal justice system.
 
Furthermore, HHS must set up (1) a federal health response unit to respond to any public health emergency, assist with qualified approaches to community safety, and provide resources for safe and inclusive schools; and (2) an interagency task force to promote qualified approaches to community safety across federal programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-11-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2021-06-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2021-06-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2021-06-28
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-28
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-28
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-28
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-28
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2021-06-28
text: Introduced in House