Us Congress 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Judiciary Committee Bills & Legislation

US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB237

Introduced
1/10/23  
Refer
1/10/23  
Refer
2/7/23  
Fourth Amendment Restoration Act This bill limits surveillance conducted for foreign intelligence purposes. Specifically, the bill repeals provisions authorizing without a court order various types of searches and surveillance for foreign intelligence purposes, including electronic surveillance and access to business records. An officer of the U.S. government must obtain a warrant for certain search and surveillance activities against a U.S. citizen, including (1) conducting electronic surveillance, (2) conducting physical searches of property under a U.S. citizen's exclusive control, or (3) targeting a U.S. citizen to acquire foreign intelligence information. The bill provides for criminal penalties for a person who knowingly violates these requirements or otherwise obtains such information under color of law without statutory authorization. Information about a U.S. citizen acquired under Executive Order 12333 (relating to intelligence gathering) or during surveillance of a non-U.S. citizen shall not be used against the U.S. citizen in any civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding or investigation.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB232

Introduced
1/10/23  
Real Justice for Our Veterans Act of 2023 This bill expands data collection on the effectiveness of veteran treatment court programs, incentivizes local governments to improve retention rates in veteran treatment court programs and drug court programs, and expands options for veterans to participate in drug court programs. First, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to report on the effectiveness of veteran treatment court programs. The report must assess the population served by the programs, whether the programs use evidence-based treatments, the recidivism rates of participants, and program completion rates. The report must also assess whether women and racial and ethnic minorities have equal access to the programs and an equal opportunity to participate. Second, the bill requires DOJ's Bureau of Justice Assistance to implement a pilot program to make grants for local governments to improve retention in veteran treatment court programs and drug court programs. Finally, this bill allows a veteran (including a veteran who is a violent offender) to participate in a drug court program instead of a veteran treatment court program if a jurisdiction does not operate a veteran treatment court program.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB233

Introduced
1/10/23  
Qualified Immunity Act of 2023 This bill provides statutory authority for qualified immunity for law enforcement officers in civil cases involving constitutional violations. Current law provides a statutory civil cause of action against state and local government actors (e.g., law enforcement officers) for violations of constitutional rights, also known as Section 1983 lawsuits. The Supreme Court has also found an implied cause of action against federal law enforcement officers in certain situations (e.g., Fourth Amendment violations), also known as Bivens lawsuits. However, under the judicial doctrine of qualified immunity, government officials performing discretionary duties are generally shielded from civil liability, unless their actions violate clearly established rights of which a reasonable person would have known. The bill provides statutory authority for these principles with respect to law enforcement officers. Specifically, under the bill, law enforcement officers are entitled to qualified immunity if (1) at the time of the alleged violation, the constitutional right at issue was not clearly established or the state of the law was not sufficiently clear for every reasonable officer to know that the conduct was unconstitutional; or (2) a court has held that the specific conduct at issue is constitutional. The bill applies to federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. It also specifies that law enforcement agencies and local governments may not be held liable if their officers are entitled to qualified immunity.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB241

Introduced
1/10/23  
ADA Compliance for Customer Entry to Stores and Services Act or the ACCESS Act This bill establishes certain procedural requirements in relation to complaints under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) regarding access to public accommodations (i.e., businesses and nonprofits that are open to the public, such as stores, restaurants, and hotels). It also requires educational outreach and studies by federal agencies to promote ADA compliance. Specifically, the bill establishes a notice and cure period before a claimant may file a civil action against a public accommodation for failing to remove a barrier to access. Claimants must first provide the owner or operator of the public accommodation with a written notice specific enough to identify the barrier and the circumstances under which access was denied. An owner or operator then has 60 days to respond with a description of forthcoming changes and another 60 days after providing the description to make the changes, or show substantial progress in making the changes, before the claimant may proceed with a civil action. The bill also requires (1) the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop a program to educate state and local governments and property owners on strategies to promote ADA compliance, (2) the Judicial Conference of the United States to develop a model program to promote alternative dispute resolution to resolve claims, and (3) the DOJ to study whether certain web content accessibility standards and telephone services provide reasonable accommodations under the ADA.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB264

Introduced
1/10/23  
Faithful Execution of the Law Act of 2023 This bill expands the circumstances under which the Department of Justice (DOJ) is required to report to Congress on a policy to refrain from enforcing federal law. Currently, DOJ is required to report to Congress when the Attorney General or other DOJ officer establishes or implements a non-enforcement policy on the grounds that the relevant provision of law is unconstitutional. This bill requires DOJ to report to Congress when any federal officer establishes or implements a non-enforcement policy on any grounds. Further, the bill requires the report to state the grounds for the non-enforcement policy.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB266

Introduced
1/10/23  
National Lighthouse Museum Act This bill grants a federal charter to the National Lighthouse Museum.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB355

Introduced
1/13/23  
Back the Blue Act of 2023 This bill establishes new criminal offenses for killing, assaulting, and fleeing to avoid prosecution for killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. Additionally, the bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor, or firefighter or other first responder; broadens the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms; and limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge. Finally, it directs the Department of Justice to make grants to law enforcement agencies and nongovernmental organizations to promote trust and improve relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB367

Introduced
1/13/23  
Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act This bill makes non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) associated with criminal gangs inadmissible for entry into the United States and deportable. The bill also establishes procedures to designate groups with criminal gang status. An individual shall be inadmissible if a consular officer, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or the Department of Justice knows or has reason to believe that the individual is or was a criminal gang member or has participated or aided such a group's illegal activities. An individual who is or was a member of such a gang, or has participated or aided such a group's illegal activities, shall be deportable. Such individuals must be subject to mandatory detention. Furthermore, such individuals shall not be eligible for (1) asylum; (2) temporary protected status; (3) special immigrant juvenile visas; or (4) parole, unless they are assisting the government in a law enforcement matter. The bill defines a criminal gang as a group of five or more persons (1) where one of its primary purposes is committing specified criminal offenses and its members have engaged in a continuing series of such offenses within the past five years, or (2) that has been designated as a criminal gang by DHS. The bill also establishes procedures for DHS to designate a group as a criminal gang, including notifying Congress, publishing a notice in the Federal Register, and providing an opportunity for the group to petition for administrative and judicial review of the designation.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB229

Introduced
1/9/23  
Refer
1/9/23  
World Deserves To Know Act This bill requires sanctions on certain members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and officials of Chinese health agencies. It also addresses related issues. The President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person who is a CCP official and who is knowingly responsible for or complicit in (1) the disappearances of whistleblowers and citizen journalists in China relating to COVID-19, or (2) limiting free speech and academic freedom in China relating to COVID-19. The President must also impose such sanctions on specified individuals who have leadership positions in China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention and China's National Health Commission (NHC). The authority to impose such sanctions shall end when the President certifies to Congress that an independent and unimpeded investigation into the potential origin of COVID-19 from the Wuhan Institute of Virology has taken place. The bill also bars federal funds and certain federal student assistance from going to institutions of higher education that enter into a contract with any element or China-based affiliate of the NHC. Federal funding to the National Academy of Sciences may not be used to enter into a contract with any element or China-based affiliate of the NHC. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress a review of all funds that the National Institutes of Health have made available to the NHC since FY2010. This report must also be publicly available.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB269

Introduced
1/10/23  
This bill increases from two to three the total number of U.S. district court judgeships for the District of Idaho. The President must appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, one additional judge for that judicial district.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB277

Introduced
1/11/23  
Refer
1/11/23  
Report Pass
5/24/23  
Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023 This bill revises provisions relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking. Specifically, the bill establishes a congressional approval process for a major rule. A major rule may only take effect if Congress approves of the rule. A major rule is a rule that has resulted in or is likely to result in (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises. The bill generally preserves the current congressional review process for a nonmajor rule.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB271

Introduced
1/11/23  
Refer
1/11/23  
Restoring Normalcy in America Act This bill provides civil rights and employment protections for individuals based on their refusal to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and addresses other matters concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the bill prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation and in federally assisted programs based on an individual's COVID-19 vaccine refusal. In addition, the bill prohibits employers from discriminating against such individuals, including discrimination related to hiring, compensation, advancement, or other employment opportunities. Further, the bill makes it unlawful for an employer to fail to offer any employee who was discharged for a COVID-19 vaccine refusal a position at an equal level and rate of pay to the position the employee held prior to discharge. In particular, the bill provides for the reinstatement of any member of the Armed Forces or federal employee who was involuntarily separated because of a COVID-19 vaccine refusal at the request of an affected individual. Any adverse action related to a COVID-19 vaccine refusal must be removed from an affected individual's military record or personnel file. Additionally, the bill (1) terminates the authority of the Food and Drug Administration to authorize under emergency procedures any drugs, biological products, or devices to prevent or treat COVID-19; and (2) requires the Department of Health and Human Services to study the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, preparedness for future pandemics, and related matters. The Government Accountability Office must also audit certain federal funding for COVID-19 activities and programs.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB282

Introduced
1/11/23  
Refer
1/11/23  
Infant Protection and Baby Switching Prevention Act of 2023 This bill establishes additional requirements that certain hospitals must meet in order to participate in Medicare. Specifically, as a condition of Medicare participation, hospitals and critical access hospitals that provide neonatal or infant care must have appropriate security procedures to reduce the likelihood of infant patient abduction and baby switching. Noncompliant hospitals are subject to specified civil penalties. The bill also establishes criminal penalties for knowingly altering or destroying a newborn's hospital patient records for the purpose of causing the newborn to be misidentified.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB64

Introduced
1/9/23  
David Ray Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2022 or David’s Law This bill adds hate crime offenses and penalties to the criminal civil rights statute that prohibits interference with federally protected activities. Current law already prohibits and penalizes similar offenses under the criminal civil rights statute that prohibits hate crime offenses. Additionally, the bill authorizes state and local grants to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles. It also authorizes the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Justice to hire additional personnel to prevent and respond to alleged criminal civil rights offenses involving interference with federally protected activities. Finally, the bill directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to study whether it is appropriate to provide a sentencing enhancement for adult defendants who recruit minors to commit hate crime offenses.
US

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB155

Introduced
1/9/23  
Citizen Legislature Anti-Corruption Reform of Congress Act or the CLEAN Congress Act This bill (1) requires bills, orders, resolutions, or votes submitted by Congress to the President to include only one subject that is clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title; and (2) makes ineffective any provision of law that excludes its application to a Member of Congress or to an employee in a Member's office.