Survivors’ Bill of Rights in the States Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2770
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2019-11-05
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses

Crime victims

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Evidence and witnesses

Health information and medical records

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Sex offenses

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2019-11-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-11-05
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Survivors' Bill of Rights in the States Act of 2019</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Department of Justice to make grants to states that provide certain legal rights to survivors of sexual assault. Among other things, grants may be used to implement such legal rights.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2770 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 5, 2019 Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mrs. Shaheen ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To direct the Attorney General to make grants to States that have in place a law providing for the rights of sexual assault survivors, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Survivors’ Bill of Rights in the States Act of 2019 . 2. Incentives for States to create sexual assault survivors' bill of rights (a) In general The Attorney General shall make grants to States that have in place a law that provides to sexual assault survivors the rights, at a minimum, under section 3772 of title 18, United States Code. (b) Grant amount Subject to the availability of appropriations, a grant to a State under this section shall be equal to 10 percent of the average of the amount of funding of the 3 most recent awards that the State received under part T of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10441 et seq.) (commonly referred to as the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program ). (c) Application A State seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Attorney General may reasonably require, including information about the law described in subsection (a). (d) Uses of funds A State receiving a grant under this section may use such funds to— (1) implement the rights provided for under the law described in subsection (a); (2) preserve sexual assault evidence collection kits or the probative contents of such kits; (3) reduce the number of backlogged sexual assault kits or stored kits which victims have consented to test; or (4) provide assistance to victim service providers, victim assistants, and victim advocates to provide victim services (as such terms are defined in section 40002 of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 ( 34 U.S.C. 12291 )). (e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025 to carry out this section.