National Guard and Reserve Access to Counsel Act

Bill: 113-s-2843
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2014-09-17
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Crime victims

Crimes against women

Lawyers and legal services

Military personnel and dependents

National Guard and reserves

Sex offenses
Latest action: action_date: 2014-09-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-09-17
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>National Guard and Reserve Access to Counsel Act - Expands eligibility for legal assistance provided by the Armed Forces special victims' counsel for eligible members and dependents who are victims of sex-related offenses to include a member of a reserve component who is a victim of an alleged sex-offense during: (1) a period in which the individual served on active duty, full-time National Guard duty, or inactive-duty training; or (2) any period, regardless of the duty status of the individual, if the circumstances of the alleged sex-related offense have a nexus to the military service of the victim, as determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense (DOD).</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2843 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 17 (legislative day, September 16), 2014 Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Ms. Ayotte ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide certain members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who are victims of sex-related offenses with access to a special victims’ counsel.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the National Guard and Reserve Access to Counsel Act . 2. Access to special victims’ counsel (a) In general Subsection (a) of section 1044e of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) Designation; purposes (1) The Secretary concerned shall designate legal counsel (to be known as Special Victims’ Counsel ) for the purpose of providing legal assistance to an individual described in paragraph (2) who is the victim of an alleged sex-related offense, regardless of whether the report of that offense is restricted or unrestricted. (2) An individual described in this paragraph is any of the following: (A) An individual eligible for military legal assistance under section 1044 of this title. (B) An individual who is— (i) not covered under subparagraph (A); (ii) a member of a reserve component of the armed forces; and (iii) a victim of an alleged sex-related offense as described in paragraph (1)— (I) during a period in which the individual served on active duty, full-time National Guard duty, or inactive-duty training; or (II) during any period, regardless of the duty status of the individual, if the circumstances of the alleged sex-related offense have a nexus to the military service of the victim, as determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. . (b) Conforming amendment Subsection (f) of such section is amended by striking eligible for military legal assistance under section 1044 of this title each place it appears and inserting described in subsection (a)(2) .