zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Local Courthouse Safety Act of 2015

Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to permit the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance to carry out a training and technical assistance program to teach employees of state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies how to anticipate, survive, and respond to violent encounters during the course of their duties, including duties relating to security at state, county, and tribal courthouses.

Amends the State Justice Institute Act of 1984 to require the State Justice Institute (a private nonprofit organization established to improve judicial administration in state courts) to include the improvement of the safety and security of state and local courts as a factor in the national assistance program under which it provides funding to state courts and related national and nonprofit organizations. Requires state or local courts that do not have magnetometers available for use to use grant matching funds to acquire magnetometers.

Directs the General Services Administration to ensure that state or local courthouses having less security equipment than such courthouses require have an opportunity to request surplus security equipment (metal detectors, wands, baggage screening devices) before such equipment is made available to any other individual or entity. Requires that priority be given to courthouses that have no security equipment.

Date: 2015-03-24
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal judicial code to prohibit federal courts from certifying any proposed class seeking monetary relief for personal injury or economic loss unless the party seeking to maintain such a class action affirmatively demonstrates that each proposed class member suffered an injury of the same type and scope as the injury of the named class representatives.

A court's certification of such a class must include a determination, based on a rigorous analysis of the evidence presented, that the requirements of this Act have been satisfied.

(Sec. 3) The bill also amends federal bankruptcy law concerning a trust formed under a reorganization plan following the discharge in bankruptcy of a debtor corporation in order to assume the debtor's liability with respect to claims seeking recovery for personal injury, wrongful death, or property damage allegedly caused by the presence of, or exposure to, asbestos or asbestos-containing products. Such a trust shall file with the bankruptcy court quarterly reports, available on the public docket, which describe each demand the trust has received from a claimant and the basis for any payment made to that claimant (excluding any confidential medical record or the claimant's full Social Security number). Upon written request, and subject to payment (demanded at the option of the trust) for any reasonable cost incurred by the trust to comply with such request, such a trust shall provide any information related to payment from, and demands for payment from, the trust to any party to any action in law or equity concerning liability for asbestos exposure.

Date: 2015-04-22
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Supreme Court Ethics Act of 2015

Requires the Supreme Court to promulgate a code of ethics for the Justices of the Supreme Court that shall include the five canons of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges adopted by the Judicial Conference of the United States, with any amendments or modifications that the Supreme Court determines appropriate.

Date: 2015-04-22
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
National Center for the Right to Counsel Act

Establishes in the District of Columbia a private, nonprofit corporation to be known as the National Center for the Right to Counsel to provide: (1) financial support to supplement, but not supplant, funding for public defense systems that provide legal assistance to indigent defendants in criminal cases, including systems run by state or local governments as well as private entities or individuals providing services under contract with such governments; and (2) financial and substantive support for training programs to improve delivery of legal services to indigent defendants.

Requires each state to have a state advisory council to: (1) monitor, receive, and investigate complaints regarding the compliance of public defense systems that receive funding with applicable laws and regulations; (2) notify the Center of any apparent violations; and (3) collect data on the delivery of public defense services and facilitate information sharing between the state's public defense systems.

Authorizes the Center to: (1) make grants and contracts; (2) undertake research, training, and technical assistance; and (3) serve as a clearinghouse for information.

Prohibits the Center from interfering with attorneys' professional responsibilities to their clients or from abrogating the authority of states or other jurisdictions to enforce such standards.

Requires the Center, to the extent feasible, to have services provided in an indigent defendant's principal language in areas where significant numbers of indigent defendants speak a language other than English.

Directs the Center to make available to the public an online database that includes the contact information for all public defense systems in every state.

Requires the Center to establish regional backup service centers to assist public defense systems with access to investigators, sentencing mitigation specialists, and information about available grants.

Date: 2015-04-28
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Arbitration Fairness Act of 2015

Declares that no predispute arbitration agreement shall be valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute.

Declares, further, that the validity and enforceability of an agreement to arbitrate shall be determined by a court, under federal law, rather than an arbitrator, irrespective of whether the party resisting arbitration challenges the arbitration agreement specifically or in conjunction with other terms of the contract containing such agreement.

Exempts from this Act arbitration provisions in a contract between an employer and a labor organization or between labor organizations. Denies to any such arbitration provision, however, the effect of waiving the right of an employee to seek judicial enforcement of a right arising under the U.S. Constitution, a state constitution, a federal or state statute, or related public policy.

Date: 2015-04-29
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Securing Participation, Engagement, and Knowledge Freedom by Reducing Egregious Efforts Act of 2015 or the SPEAK FREE Act of 2015

Amends the federal judicial code to allow a person against whom a lawsuit is asserted to file a special motion to dismiss claims referred to as strategic lawsuits against public participation ("SLAPP suits") that arise from an oral or written statement or other expression, or conduct in furtherance of such expression, by the defendant in connection with an official proceeding or about a matter of public concern.

Defines "matter of public concern" as an issue related to: (1) health or safety; (2) environmental, economic, or community well-being; (3) the government; (4) a public official or public figure; or (5) a good, product, or service in the marketplace.

Requires courts to grant such a special motion to dismiss if the party filing the motion makes a prima facie showing that the claim asserted against them is a SLAPP suit, unless the responding party demonstrates that the claim is likely to succeed on the merits.

Provides exceptions prohibiting courts from granting such a special motion to dismiss if the claim concerns:

 a government enforcement action, a business making representations of fact in commercial speech to consumers about its own or a business competitor's goods or services, or a public interest claim on behalf of the general public. Allows dismissal of private suits, notwithstanding such commercial speech and public interest exceptions, if the claim is against:

 a person or entity engaged in activities to disseminate or express ideas to the public in a book or academic journal; any person or entity based upon statements or conduct concerning the creation, dissemination, exhibition, advertisement, or other promotion of journalistic, consumer commentary, dramatic, literary, musical, political, or artistic works, including motion pictures, television programs, or articles published online or in a newspaper or magazine of general circulation; or a nonprofit organization that receives more than 50% of annual revenue grants or awards from, programs of, or reimbursements for services rendered to the government. Sets forth special procedural requirements for discovery and motions.

Requires courts to award litigation costs, expert witness fees, and reasonable attorney's fees to private parties that filed and prevailed on certain motions under this Act or to parties that responded to motions found to be frivolous.

Date: 2015-05-13
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Ensuring Access to Justice for Claims Against the United States Act

Amends the federal judicial code with respect to the jurisdiction of federal courts over civil actions pending in, or on appeal from, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (USCFC) when the plaintiff also has pending in another federal court a civil action that includes a claim against the United States (or an agency or officer of the United States) arising from the same set of operative facts.

 Requires the court presiding over the action that was filed later to stay the later action until the action that was filed first is no longer pending. (Currently, the USCFC is prohibited from having jurisdiction of any claim in which the plaintiff has pending in any other court any suit or process against the United States or any person who was acting or professing to act under the authority of the United States.)

Provides an exception to the requirement to stay the later action if: (1) the parties in each of the actions agree; or (2) in exceptional circumstances the court finds, upon the motion of any party, that termination or modification of the stay is necessary to preserve material evidence or to prevent irreparable prejudice to that party.

Provides the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit with jurisdiction of an appeal from an interlocutory order terminating or modifying such a stay.

Date: 2015-05-14
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Sunshine in Litigation Act of 2015

Amends the federal judicial code to prohibit a court, in any civil action in which the pleadings state facts relevant to the protection of public health or safety, from entering an order restricting the disclosure of information obtained through discovery, approving a settlement agreement that would restrict such disclosure, or restricting access to court records, unless in connection with such order the court has first made independent findings of fact that: (1) the order would not restrict the disclosure of information relevant to the protection of public health or safety; or (2) the public interest in the disclosure of past, present, or potential health or safety hazards is outweighed by a specific and substantial interest in maintaining the confidentiality of the information, and the requested protective order is no broader than necessary to protect the confidentiality interest asserted.

Prohibits a court from: (1) enforcing any provision of an agreement between or among parties to the civil action, or an order entered under this Act, that restricts a party from disclosing information to any federal or state agency with authority to enforce laws regulating an activity relating to such information; or (2) enforcing any provision of a settlement agreement between or among parties to such civil action that prohibits a party from disclosing that a settlement was reached or the terms of the settlement (excluding any money paid) that involve matters relevant to the protection of public health or safety, or from discussing matters relevant to the protection of public health or safety involved in such civil action. Excepts from this enforcement prohibition (thus allowing enforcement of) a settlement agreement provision about which the court finds that the public interest in the disclosure of past, present, or potential public health or safety hazards is outweighed by a specific and substantial interest in maintaining the confidentiality of the information in question, and the requested protective order is no broader than necessary to protect the confidentiality interest asserted.

Creates a rebuttable presumption that the interest in protecting personally identifiable information of an individual outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to permit, require, or authorize the disclosure of classified information, as defined under the Classified Information Procedures Act.

Date: 2015-05-14
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2015 

 Amends titles II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance), VIII (Special Benefits for Certain World War II Veterans), and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act to prohibit from receiving benefits under those titles any individual who is the subject of: (1) an outstanding arrest warrant for a felony, or (2) an outstanding arrest warrant for violating a condition of prohibition or parole imposed under federal or state law.

Directs the Social Security Administration (SSA) to furnish any federal, state, or local law enforcement officer, upon written request, with the current address, Social Security number, and photograph of any recipient of title VIII benefits if the officer furnishes the SSA with the individual's name and other identifying information as reasonably required to establish the individual's unique identity, and notifies the SSA that: (1) the individual is fleeing to avoid prosecution, or custody or confinement after conviction, or the individual is violating a condition of probation or parole; and (2) the location or apprehension of such individual is within the officer's official duties.

Date: 2015-05-21
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Social welfare
Structured Settlement Claimants Rights Act of 2015

Amends the federal judicial code to declare that a claimant in any civil action before a federal court shall have the right to retain a structured settlement broker to act on behalf of that claimant for purposes of negotiating a schedule of payments or other terms of payment previously agreed to be paid by or on behalf of the defendant in satisfaction of a judgment against that defendant or in accordance with the terms of a settlement.

Requires that a party to an administrative proceeding have the same right to retain such a structured settlement broker for negotiations with other parties.

Directs: (1) the court or the agency in an administrative proceeding to inform the claimant of this right at the appropriate time, and (2) the defendant to provide timely notice of any current or previous professional relationship between the defendant and the broker.

Date: 2015-06-04
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Requires the President to appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, two additional district judges for the district of Colorado.

Date: 2015-06-25
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Justice for Victims of Confidential Informant Crime Act of 2015

Amends the federal judicial code to extend to three years and six months the period within which a tort claim against the United States must be presented in writing to a federal agency when the claim arises out of a government employee's conduct with respect to the criminal misconduct of a government informant. (Current law bars all tort claims against the United States that are not presented within two years after the claim accrues.)

Applies the amendment retroactively to any such claim that: (1) accrued on or after May 1, 1981; and (2) in the case of a claim accrued before the date of enactment of this Act, is presented within one year after such date.

Prohibits the government from asserting a defense or a bar, based on the doctrine of res judicata or collateral estoppel, to a claim that accrued before enactment of this Act and to which this Act applies.

Date: 2015-07-08
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Grand Jury Transparency Act

This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to permit the Department of Justice to give preferential treatment to applications for public safety and community policing grants from jurisdictions that have a law or ordinance to make grand jury transcripts and other records publicly available.

Date: 2015-07-10
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
This bill amends the federal judicial code to prohibit federal courts from deciding any issue on the authority of foreign law, except to the extent that the Constitution or an Act of Congress requires the consideration of that foreign law.

Date: 2015-07-14
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Justice is Not For Sale Act of 2015

This bill requires federal, state, and local governments and their employees to directly operate and perform core services at adult prisons and detention centers.

The bill reestablishes parole for eligible federal prisoners sentenced on or after January 1, 2017. (The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 eliminated parole for offenders convicted of federal crimes committed after November 1, 1987.)

It authorizes the United States Parole Commission to: (1) grant or deny a parole application or recommendation; (2) impose conditions on, modify, or revoke parole; and (3) maintain supervision of paroled offenders.

Financial service providers at prisons and detention centers must impose reasonable and proportional fees and charges for money transfer services. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau must establish standards to assess such fees or charges.

The bill directs the Federal Communications Commission to cap prison phone call rates and connection charges, require telecommunications providers to offer collect and debit account call services, restrict commission payments and ancillary service charges, and require correctional facility administrators to allow more than one telecommunications provider.

It eliminates the provision that requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to maintain at least 34,000 detention beds. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must establish nationwide alternatives to detention programs and determine detention bed capacity based solely on detention needs.

DHS must conduct annual inspections and routine oversight of detention facilities.

The bill prohibits family detention and requires DHS to establish alternatives to detention programs for detained family units. Also, it prohibits separation of a family to detain a family member, except DHS may detain an alien parent who is dangerous to the community and inadmissible on terrorism-related grounds.

Date: 2015-09-17
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Fraudulent Joinder Prevention Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill amends procedures under which federal courts determine whether a case that was removed from a state court to a federal court on the basis of a diversity of citizenship among the parties may be remanded back to state court upon a motion opposed on fraudulent joinder grounds that: (1) one or more defendants are citizens of the same state as one or more plaintiffs, or (2) one or more defendants properly joined and served are citizens of the state in which the action was brought. Joinder of such a defendant is fraudulent if the court finds:

 actual fraud in the pleading of jurisdictional facts with respect to that defendant, state law would not plausibly impose liability on that defendant, state or federal law bars all claims in the complaint against that defendant, or no good faith intention to prosecute the action against that defendant or to seek a joint judgment including that defendant. In determining whether to grant or deny such a motion for remand, the court: (1) may permit pleadings to be amended; and (2) must consider the pleadings, affidavits, and other evidence submitted by the parties.

A federal court finding that all such defendants have been fraudulently joined must: (1) dismiss without prejudice the claims against those defendants, and (2) deny the motion for remand.

Date: 2015-09-28
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Eyes on the Courts Act of 2015

This bill requires the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court, including the Supreme Court, to permit court proceedings to be photographed, electronically recorded, broadcasted, televised, or streamed on the Internet to or for the public, unless the judge determines, upon a motion of a party or the judge, that it would constitute a violation of the due process rights of a party or is not in the interests of justice.

The Judicial Conference may promulgate mandatory guidelines with respect to the management and administration of such photographing, recording, broadcasting, televising, or streaming.

The presiding judge of each appellate court may promulgate rules and disciplinary measures for the courtroom use of any form of media or media equipment and the acquisition or distribution of any of the images or sounds obtained in the courtroom.

Date: 2015-10-08
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2015

This bill amends the federal judicial code to:

 convert certain temporary bankruptcy judges to permanent bankruptcy judges and authorize the appointment of additional bankruptcy judges in Delaware and Michigan; convert temporary bankruptcy judges to permanent bankruptcy judges in specified judicial districts in Florida, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, and Virginia; and authorize the appointment of additional bankruptcy judges in the middle district of Florida.

Date: 2015-12-10
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Catalyst Theory Restoration Act of 2015

 This bill defines "prevailing party" for purposes of determining the meaning of provisions in federal laws, federal regulations, or any judicial or administrative rules that provide for recovery of attorney's fees to include a party whose pursuit of a nonfrivolous claim or defense was a catalyst for a voluntary or unilateral change in position by the opposing party that provides any significant part of the relief sought.

The bill prohibits this Act from altering special eligibility criteria: (1) established for prevailing defendants, or (2) contained in statutes that expressly limit or qualify who may be considered a prevailing party for purposes of that statute.

Date: 2015-12-17
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Fresh Start Act of 2016

This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow an individual convicted of a nonviolent criminal offense to file a petition for expungement of the record of such conviction. It allows expungement if such individual: (1) has never been convicted of any criminal offense other than the nonviolent offenses committed in a single criminal episode that includes the offense for which expungement is sought; (2) has fulfilled all requirements of the sentence of the court, including payment of all fines, restitution, or assessments and completion of terms of imprisonment and probation; and (3) has remained free (if required by the court's sentence) from dependency on or abuse of alcohol or a controlled substance for at least one year.

 The Department of Justice must maintain an unaltered nonpublic copy of expunged criminal records, to be disclosed for limited purposes to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies.

The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to increase by 5% grant funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to states that implement expungement procedures substantially similar to the procedures enacted by this Act. It decreases such grant funding by 5% for states that fail to adopt expungement procedures.

Date: 2016-02-01
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
(This measure has not been amended since it passed the House on September 22, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

District of Columbia Judicial Financial Transparency Act 

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the District of Columbia Code to revise the financial disclosure requirements for District of Columbia judges. The revisions establish new dollar thresholds and requirements for reporting to the District of Columbia Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure the financial interests of the judges and specified family members with respect to:

 income; dividends, rents, interest, and capital gains; liabilities; gifts; real and personal property; honoraria; expense accounts or reimbursements for expenses; and waivers or partial waivers of fees or charges. The financial disclosure reports must be available for public inspection and copying, unless revealing personal and sensitive information could endanger the judge or a family member. A report may be redacted only: (1) to the extent necessary to protect the individual or family member, and (2) as long as the danger to the individual exists.

(Sec. 3) The Probate Divisions of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia may use magistrate judges. (Sec. 4) DC courts may accept payment of fines, fees, escrow payments, restitution, bonds, and other payments by credit card or electronic funds transfer. The executive officer of the courts may contract with a bank or credit card vendor, or other third party provider, to accept such payments, making every effort to find the lowest cost vendor among them. (Sec. 5) The maximum amount in controversy for cases under the Small Claims and Conciliation Branch of DC Superior Court shall increase from $5,000 to $10,000. (Sec. 6) Each chief judge of the Superior Court or of the Court of Appeals, as appropriate, may delegate to an active or senior judge (in the court in which the chief judge sits) the authority to approve any compensation for court-appointed criminal defense or child abuse and neglect attorneys exceeding the usual maximum.

Date: 2016-02-01
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Judicial Administration and Improvement Act of 2016

This bill divides the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit into: (1) a new Ninth Circuit, to be composed of California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands; and (2) a newly established Twelfth Circuit, to be composed of Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada.

The bill designates locations where the new circuits are to hold regular sessions.

The bill distributes active circuit judges of the former Ninth Circuit to the new circuits. Circuit judges and senior circuit judges currently stationed in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, or Nevada may elect their circuit assignment. For each circuit judge in regular service who elects to be assigned to the new Ninth Circuit, the President shall appoint one additional circuit judge for the Twelfth Circuit.

Date: 2016-02-03
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Pullman Act

This bill amends the federal judicial code to allow federal district courts, when a civil action involves a challenge to an unsettled and ambiguous question of state law on federal constitutional grounds, to:

 stay the action, pending resolution of the question of state law, if its resolution could avoid the need to reach or materially change the federal constitutional issue and there are adequate means under state law to resolve the unsettled state law question; and certify the question to the appropriate court of that state. Federal appeals courts shall have jurisdiction of appeals from federal district court interlocutory orders that refuse to stay such actions.

Date: 2016-02-09
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
No Money Bail Act of 2016

This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to make ineligible for funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program a state with a bail system that uses payment of money as a condition of pretrial release in criminal cases.

The Department of Justice must reallocate such state's JAG funding among eligible states.

Additionally, the bill prohibits payment of money as a condition of pretrial release in any federal criminal case.

Date: 2016-02-24
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Restoring Statutory Rights and Interests of the States Act of 2016

This bill amends the Federal Arbitration Act to invalidate arbitration agreements between parties in certain commercial contracts or transactions if they require arbitration of a claim for damages or injunctive relief brought by an individual or small business arising from the alleged violation of a federal or state statute, the U.S. Constitution, or a state constitution, unless the written agreement to arbitrate is entered into by both parties after the claim has arisen and pertains solely to an existing claim.

The grounds upon which a contract with an arbitration agreement is revocable shall include federal or state statutes or court findings that prohibit an agreement to arbitrate if the agreement is unconscionable, invalid because there was no meeting of the minds, or otherwise unenforceable as a matter of contract law or public policy.

A court, rather than an arbitrator, shall determine whether an arbitration agreement is enforceable.

Date: 2016-04-12
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Equal Justice Under Law Act of 2016

This bill states that an indigent individual facing criminal prosecution or juvenile delinquency in a state court is entitled to the effective assistance of counsel, as guaranteed by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments, at the state's expense.

The bill authorizes a federal class action lawsuit against a state for its systemic failure to guarantee the right to effective assistance of counsel. The assistance of counsel is ineffective when a class of individuals demonstrates that counsel's performance was not reasonable under prevailing professional norms.

Date: 2016-04-29
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
FISA Court Oversight Underscoring Responsibility and Transparency Act or the FISA COURT Act 

This bill amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to require that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court consist of 11 publicly designated district court judges, of whom:

 2 judges are designated by the President; 1 judge is designated by a majority of the Supreme Court; and 2 judges each are designated, respectively, by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, and the majority and minority leaders of the Senate. (Currently, the Chief Justice designates all 11 judges.)

A majority of the Supreme Court (currently, the Chief Justice alone) shall designate three judges from the U.S. district courts or courts of appeals who shall comprise the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review.

Date: 2016-04-29
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Targeting Child Predators Act of 2016

This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish: (1) a certification process with respect to nondisclosure requirements imposed in connection with specified administrative subpoenas, and (2) a judicial review process with respect to the imposition of such requirements.

Date: 2016-05-12
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Independent and Effective Federal Defenders Act of 2016

This bill amends the federal criminal code to revise requirements related to the provision of adequate representation for defendants in federal criminal cases. Under current law, each U.S. district court must operate a plan, in accordance with specified requirements, for furnishing representation to any eligible person who is financially unable to obtain adequate representation. The bill revises these requirements and establishes the Federal Defender Commission as an independent agency tasked with ensuring the provision of adequate representation.

Date: 2016-06-10
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Legal Services Corporation Repeal Act of 2016

This bill repeals the Legal Services Corporation Act, which established a federally funded nonprofit corporation to provide financial support for legal assistance in noncriminal matters to persons financially unable to afford such assistance.

Date: 2016-06-16
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Foundation of the Federal Bar Association Charter Amendments Act of 2016

This bill revises the federal charter for the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association (the corporation) to remove provisions that declare the corporation to be incorporated and domiciled in the District of Columbia. Its principal office may be in any U.S. location.

The procedures for membership of the National Council of the Federal Bar Association and the election of the board of directors and officers are to be as provided for in the bylaws instead of under charter requirements. But the bill prohibits the terms of membership, or the requirements for serving as a director or officer, from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, or national origin.

Prohibitions on the distribution of income or assets to a director, officer, or member shall not prevent: (1) board-approved payments of reasonable compensation or reimbursement for expenses incurred in undertaking the corporation's business; (2) the award of a grant to a Federal Bar Association chapter of an officer, director, or member; or (3) payment of reasonable compensation to the corporation's employees for services undertaken on the corporation's behalf.

The prohibition on loans to directors or officers is expanded to include members or employees. The bill removes a provision that makes directors or officers jointly and severally liable to the corporation for assenting to a loan to a director or officer.

The corporation may not claim congressional approval or the authority of the federal government for its activities.

On dissolution or final liquidation of the corporation, any assets remaining after the discharge of all liabilities shall be distributed as provided by the board of directors in compliance with the charter and bylaws. (Currently, any remaining assets shall be deposited in the Treasury.)

Date: 2016-06-28
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Temporary Judgeship Conversion Act of 2016

This bill converts certain temporary U.S. district court judgeships to permanent judgeships in specified U.S. judicial districts in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas.

Date: 2016-07-07
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Lift the Relocation Burden from Military Spouses Act

This bill authorizes the military department concerned to reimburse a member of the Armed Forces who is reassigned for a permanent change of station or assignment from one state to another for qualified relicensing costs of the member's spouse.

Reimbursement may not exceed $500 for each change of station or assignment.

The Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security (with respect to the Coast Guard) shall work with states to improve license portability.

"Qualified relicensing costs" are the costs, including exam and registration fees, needed to secure a license or certification to engage in the same profession in the new state.

Date: 2016-07-07
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Citizens' Right to Know Act of 2016

This bill requires a state or local government that receives funds under a Department of Justice (DOJ) grant program and uses such funds for a pretrial services program to annually report certain information about participating defendants.

DOJ must publish the information.

Additionally, DOJ must reduce the grant allocation of a state or local government that fails to comply.

Date: 2016-09-13
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
No Tax Write-offs for Corporate Wrongdoers Act

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) deny a tax deduction for any amount paid or incurred for punitive damages in connection with any judgment in, or settlement of, any legal action; and (2) include any amount paid as punitive damages in gross income for income tax purposes.

Date: 2015-01-13
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Taxation
Requires the President to appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, one additional district judge for the district of Idaho.

Date: 2015-02-04
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015

Amends the sanctions provisions in Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to require the court to impose an appropriate sanction on any attorney, law firm, or party that has violated, or is responsible for the violation of, the rule with regard to representations to the court. Requires any sanction to compensate parties injured by the conduct in question.

Removes a provision that prohibits filing a motion for sanctions if the challenged paper, claim, defense, contention, or denial is withdrawn or appropriately corrected within 21 days after service or within another time the court sets.

Authorizes the court to impose additional sanctions, including striking the pleadings, dismissing the suit, nonmonetary directives, or penalty payments if warranted for effective deterrence.

Date: 2015-02-05
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Cameras in the Courtroom Act

Requires the Supreme Court to permit television coverage of all open sessions of the Court unless it decides by majority vote that allowing such coverage in a particular case would violate the due process rights of any of the parties involved.

Date: 2015-03-18
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2015

Authorizes the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court or U.S. district court to permit the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising to the public of court proceedings over which that judge presides, except when such action would constitute a violation of the due process rights of any party.

Directs: (1) a district court, upon the request of any witness in a trial proceeding other than a party, to order the face and voice of the witness to be disguised or otherwise obscured to render the witness unrecognizable to the broadcast audience of the trial proceeding; and (2) the presiding judge in a trial proceeding to inform each witness who is not a party of the right to make such request. Allows a presiding judge to obscure the face and voice of an individual if good cause is shown that photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising such features would threaten the individual's safety, the court's security, the integrity of future or ongoing law enforcement operations, or the interest of justice.

Prohibits a presiding judge from permitting the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising of any juror in a trial proceeding, or of the jury selection process.

Terminates a district court's authority under this Act three years after enactment of this Act.

Requires the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate mandatory guidelines which a presiding judge must follow for obscuring certain vulnerable witnesses.

Prohibits any audio pickup or broadcast of conferences which occur in a court proceeding between attorneys and their clients, co-counsel of a client, adverse counsel, or counsel and the presiding judge, if the conferences are not part of the official record of the proceedings.

Date: 2015-03-18
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Supreme Court Ethics Act of 2015

Requires the Supreme Court to promulgate a code of ethics for the Justices of the Supreme Court that shall include the five canons of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges adopted by the Judicial Conference of the United States, with any amendments or modifications that the Supreme Court determines appropriate.

Date: 2015-04-23
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Amends the federal judicial code to revise the process for remanding civil actions involving common questions of fact pending in different districts that the judicial panel on multidistrict litigation transfers to a single district for consolidated pretrial proceedings.

Requires each action, upon a motion of a plaintiff, to be remanded back to the district court from which it was transferred if the panel does not remand the action at or before the conclusion of such pretrial proceedings within five years after the action is transferred.

Directs the district court receiving a remanded action to then schedule the completion of discovery and a trial date in accordance with the civil justice expense and delay reduction plan implemented by the court.

Makes this Act applicable to any civil action pending in a transferee district court on or after August 1, 2010.

Date: 2015-04-28
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Judicial Transparency and Ethics Enhancement Act of 2015

Amends the federal judicial code to establish the Office of Inspector General for the Judicial Branch, to be headed by an inspector general appointed by the Chief Justice. Sets a term of four years, which may be extended by additional reappointments. Authorizes the Chief Justice to remove an inspector general from office.

Requires the office to: (1) conduct investigations of alleged misconduct in the judicial branch, including the Supreme Court; (2) conduct and supervise audits and investigations; and (3) prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse.

Provides for whistleblower protection.

Date: 2015-05-21
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Second Chance Reauthorization Act

Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to revise and expand requirements for the Department of Justice (DOJ) grant program for adult and juvenile offender state and local reentry demonstration projects, including for planning and implementation and for promotion of employment opportunities, and to extend the program through FY2020. Sets forth criteria and priority considerations for DOJ to use in awarding grants.

Amends the Second Chance Act of 2007 to extend through FY2020 the authorization of appropriations for grants for: (1) family-based substance abuse treatment, (2) the careers training demonstration program, and (3) the offender reentry substance abuse and criminal justice collaboration program. Renames the program of mentoring grants to nonprofit organizations for offender reentry as the program of community-based mentoring and transitional service grants to nonprofit organizations. Provides for enhanced services under such program to assist in the reintegration of offenders into the community. Extends the authorization of appropriations for such program through FY2020.

Requires the DOJ Inspector General to conduct annual audits, beginning in FY2016, of grant recipients under the Second Chance Act of 2007 (covered grantees) to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of grant funds. Prohibits nonprofit organizations that hold money in offshore accounts from receiving grant funds. Imposes restrictions on: (1) DOJ conferences using more than $20,000 in DOJ funds; and (2) lobbying DOJ and other officials regarding the award of grant funding.

Amends the Second Chance Act of 2007 to: (1) modify and extend through FY2020 grant programs for reentry of federal prisoners into the community, including the program for placing aging offenders in home detention and for offender reentry research; (2) repeal programs under such Act relating to responsible reintegration of offenders, the study of the effectiveness of Depot Naltrexone for heroin addiction, and the satellite tracking and reentry training program; and (3) establish a program for partnering faith-based or community-based nonprofit organizations with prisons to conduct recidivism reduction activities.

Directs DOJ, in consultation with specified federal officials and in collaboration with interested persons and entities, to coordinate on federal programs, policies, and activities relating to the reentry of individuals returning from incarceration to the community, with an emphasis on evidence-based practices and protection against duplication of services.

Date: 2015-06-04
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate reported version is repeated here.)

District of Columbia Courts, Public Defender Service, and Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) Amends the District of Columbia Code to authorize the Executive Officer of the District of Columbia courts to:

 collect debts owed to the District of Columbia courts because of erroneous payments made to current and former court employees, or any other debt; and purchase uniforms to be worn by certain nonjudicial employees of the District courts, so long as the cost of furnishing a uniform during a year does not exceed the amount applicable to the uniform allowance for federal employees. (Sec. 3) Amends the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 to authorize the Director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency to develop and operate intermediate incentive programs for sentenced offenders.

Makes permanent the Director's authority to accept, solicit, and use on behalf of the Agency: (1) any monetary or nonmonetary gift, donation, bequest, or use of facilities, property, or services to aid or facilitate the work of the Agency; and (2) reimbursements from the District government for space and services provided, on a cost reimbursable basis.

(Sec. 4) Amends the District of Columbia Court Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970 to:

 authorize the Public Defender Service, upon approval of the Board of Trustees, to accept (as currently allowed) and use public grants, private contributions, and voluntary and uncompensated (gratuitous) services to assist it; and deem members of the Board of Trustees, as of October 21, 1998, to be employees of the Service instead of District employees for purposes of any action brought against them.

Date: 2015-06-18
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Government operations and politics
This bill requires the President to appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, two additional district judges for the district of Colorado.

Date: 2015-08-05
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law
Temporary Judgeship Conversion Act of 2015

This bill converts certain temporary U.S. district court judgeships to permanent judgeships in specified U.S. judicial districts in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas.

Date: 2015-11-19
Topic: Law and Crime (Court Administration)
Subject: Law