Housing for Survivors of Sex Trafficking Act

Bill: 115-hr-3942
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Hartzler, Vicky [R-MO-4]
Introduced: 2017-10-04
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Crime victims

Crimes against women

Housing and community development funding

Human trafficking

Sex offenses
Latest action: action_date: 2017-10-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-10-04
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Housing for Survivors of Sex Trafficking Act</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 to include sex trafficking victims as eligible participants in&nbsp;the transitional housing assistance grant program.</p> <p>The bill permits a grant recipient to condition the receipt of benefits or the provision of housing on a program participant's involvement&nbsp;in certain activities, including confidential counseling and evaluations, as necessary to ensure the accurate placement of the victim in the program.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3942 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 4, 2017 Mrs. Hartzler (for herself, Ms. Bordallo , and Mrs. Noem ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committee on 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 A BILL To amend the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 to include sex trafficking victims in the transitional housing assistance grant program, and for other purposes.

1. Short Title This Act may be cited as the Housing for Survivors of Sex Trafficking Act . 2. Inclusion of Sex Trafficking Victims in Transitional Housing Grant Programs (a) In General Section 40299 of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 ( 34 U.S.C. 12351 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— (i) by inserting , sex trafficking, after and other organizations, including domestic violence ; (ii) by inserting , sex trafficking, after providers, domestic violence ; and (iii) by inserting sex trafficking, after dating violence, sexual assault, ; and (B) in paragraph (1), by inserting sex trafficking, after sexual assault, ; (2) in subsection (b)(3)— (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting sex trafficking, after sexual assault, ; and (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting , except as provided in subsection (e) after shall be voluntary ; (3) in subsection (d)(2)(B), by inserting , except as provided in subsection (e) after the victim’s housing ; (4) by redesignating subsections (e), (f) and (g) as subsections (f), (g) and (h), respectively; (5) by inserting after subsection (d) the following: (e) Exceptions A grant recipient under this section may condition the receipt of benefits or the provision of housing on a program participant’s participation in certain programs, including counseling and evaluations, that are necessary to ensure the accurate placement of the victim in the program, provided that any communication provided in the course of such counseling or evaluation remains confidential. ; (6) in subsection (g)(1), as so redesignated, by striking under subsection (e) and inserting under subsection (f) ; and (7) in subsection (g)(3)(D)(iii), by inserting sex trafficking, after sexual assault, . (b) Clerical Amendment The heading for section 40299 of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 ( 34 U.S.C. 12351 ) is amended by inserting sex trafficking, after sexual assault, .