Respect for Child Survivors Act

Bill: 117-s-4926
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2022-09-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child health
Child safety and welfare
Community life and organization
Crime victims
Crimes against children
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Domestic violence and child abuse
Family services
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health programs administration and funding
Human trafficking
Law enforcement administration and funding
Mental health
Public-private cooperation
Sex offenses
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2022-09-22
text: 

Respect for Child Survivors Act

 
This bill requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to use a multidisciplinary approach with any investigation of child sexual exploitation or abuse, the production of child sexual abuse material, or child trafficking. The FBI must also use a trained child adolescent forensic interviewer in these investigations if practicable and consistent with applicable federal law. 
 
In implementing a multidisciplinary approach, the bill requires the FBI to use and coordinate with multidisciplinary teams based at children's advocacy centers.

action_date: 2022-12-13
text: 

Respect for Child Survivors Act 

 
This bill requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use a multidisciplinary team with investigations of child abuse and related crimes. The bill also reauthorizes grants for children's advocacy centers (CACs). CACs use a multidisciplinary response to coordinate the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases.

action_date: 2022-12-21
text: 

Respect for Child Survivors Act 

 
This bill requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use a multidisciplinary team with investigations of child abuse and related crimes. The bill also reauthorizes grants for children's advocacy centers (CACs). CACs use a multidisciplinary response to coordinate the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases.

action_date: 2023-01-05
text: 

Respect for Child Survivors Act

 
This act requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to use a multidisciplinary team with investigations of child abuse and related crimes. The act also reauthorizes grants for children's advocacy centers (CACs). CACs use a multidisciplinary response to coordinate the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases.
 
(Sec. 2) This section requires the FBI to use a multidisciplinary team with any investigation of child sexual exploitation or abuse, the production of child sexual abuse material, or child trafficking. The FBI must also use a trained child adolescent forensic interviewer in these investigations. These requirements do not apply if a multidisciplinary team or an interviewer is unavailable or is otherwise inconsistent with applicable federal law. 
 
In implementing these requirements, the FBI must use and coordinate with multidisciplinary teams based at CACs.
 
(Sec. 3) This section modifies and reauthorizes through FY2028 grants for regional and local CACs, as well as for technical assistance and training. Grants for CACs are administered by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) within the Department of Justice. 
 
It adds a finding stating that a key to a child victim healing from abuse is access to supportive and healthy families and communities.
 
The section modifies grant provisions for regional CACs, including by
 
 
directing the OJJDP to maintain (in addition to establish) regional CACs; 
adding, as a new program objective, the provision of technical assistance, training, coordination, and organizational capacity support for state chapters; and 
requiring the OJJDP to consider, as an additional selection criteria, proposals for regional CACs that best result in supporting state chapters. 
 
The section also modifies grant provisions for local CACs, including by adding as new grant purposes (1) the establishment and maintenance of a network of care for child abuse victims, and (2) the development and dissemination of practice standards for care and best practices in program evaluation. 
 
Finally, the section modifies the criteria that the OJJDP may use to evaluate local CAC programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-01-05
text: Became Public Law No: 117-354.
action_date: 2023-01-05
text: Became Public Law No: 117-354.
action_date: 2023-01-05
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2023-01-05
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2022-12-28
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2022-12-28
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 385 - 28 (Roll no. 534). (text: CR H9927-9929)
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 385 - 28 (Roll no. 534).(text: CR H9927-9929)
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H9976-9977)
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 4926.
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H9927-9931)
action_date: 2022-12-21
text: Mr. Nadler moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2022-12-14
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2022-12-14
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2022-12-14
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2022-12-13
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S7146-7147)
action_date: 2022-12-13
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S7146-7147)
action_date: 2022-12-13
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7149)
action_date: 2022-12-13
text: Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2022-12-13
text: Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2022-09-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2022-09-22
text: Introduced in Senate

Enacted as: number: 117-354