Justice Act

Bill: 113-hr-5550
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2014-09-18
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Intergovernmental relations

Law enforcement administration and funding

Law enforcement officers

Racial and ethnic relations

State and local finance

State and local government operations

Transportation safety and security

User charges and fees
Latest action: action_date: 2014-10-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-09-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Urban and Municipal Justice Act of 2014 or the Justice Act - Reduces the amount that would otherwise be awarded to a unit of local government under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program: (1) by 75% for any such unit that, during the previous three fiscal years, funded an amount that on average was greater than 18% of its operating budget using revenue generated from collecting fines and other fees related to violations of traffic laws; and (2) by 95% for any such unit for which, during the previous fiscal year, the percentage of individuals who identify as a race who were employees of the law enforcement agency for that unit and the percentage of individuals who identify as that race who live in the jurisdiction such agency serves differ by greater than 30%.</p> <p> Reduces by 50% the amount that would otherwise be awarded under such Program to a state that did not reduce a subgrant award to a unit of local government in accordance with this Act in the preceding fiscal year.</p> <p>Requires the Attorney General to reallocate funds withheld from a state or unit of local government pursuant to this Act in accordance with the Program.</p>

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5550 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 18, 2014 Ms. Jackson Lee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To provide for a reduction in the amount that may be awarded to a unit of local government under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. ) for a unit of local government that funds an amount that is greater than 18 percent of its operating budget using revenue generated from collecting fines and other fees related to violations of traffic laws, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the The Urban and Municipal Justice Act of 2014 or the Justice Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The growing trend of local units of government using traffic fines and traffic court fees and costs as revenue generators promotes unfair, excessive targeting of citizens by law enforcement agents, infringes on civil liberties, and promotes reliance on unpredictable revenue sources. (2) The growing trend of local units of government using traffic fines and traffic court fees and costs as revenue generators has the potential to breed public cynicism and distrust of local law enforcement agencies, and to lessen public confidence that the laws are being enforced impartially and the criminal justice system is administered equally. 3. Reduction in grant funding for units of local government (a) Collection of fines for violations of traffic laws Except as provided in subsection (b), a unit of local government which, during the previous 3 fiscal years, funded an amount that, on average, was greater than 18 percent of its operating budget using revenue generated from collecting fines and other fees related to violations of traffic laws, shall, in the case of a unit of local government receiving grant funds under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. ), receive only 25 percent of the grant award that would have otherwise been awarded to that unit of local government under such subpart. (b) Disproportionate racial composition of law enforcement agencies In the case of a unit of local government described in subsection (a) for which, during the previous fiscal year, the percentage of individuals who identify as a race who were employees of the law enforcement agency for that unit of local government, and the percentage of individuals who identify as that race who live in the jurisdiction which that law enforcement agency serves, differs by greater than 30 percent, the unit of local government shall receive only 5 percent of the grant award that would have otherwise been awarded to that unit of local government under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. ). (c) Obligation of States A State that receives a grant award under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. ), which does not reduce a subgrant award made under such grant to a unit of local government in its jurisdiction in accordance with this section, shall, in the succeeding fiscal year, receive only 50 percent of the grant award that would have otherwise been awarded to that State under such subpart. (d) Reallocation Any funds withheld from a State or unit of local government from a direct grant award by the Attorney General shall be reallocated in accordance with subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. ).