Stop Human Trafficking in School Zones Act This bill establishes an enhanced penalty—an additional prison term of up to five years—for certain human trafficking offenses and sex offenses involving minors that occur within 1,000 feet of the real property comprising a school, school-sponsored activity, playground, or public housing facility; or within 100 feet of certain other places where children gather (e.g., a youth center or swimming pool). The additional prison term must be served consecutively with the prison term imposed for the underlying offense.
A bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase penalties for group health plans and health insurance issuers for practices that violate balance billing requirements, and for other purposes.
Restoring Faith in Elections Act This bill establishes certain standards for voting, including voting by mail, in federal elections. It also establishes certain requirements for voter registration and maintenance of official lists of eligible voters. First, the bill establishes certain requirements for voting by mail in federal elections, including by requiring mail-in ballots to be received by the time the polls close on election day. Additionally, the bill makes it unlawful to possess or return a mail-in ballot completed by another person (commonly referred to as ballot harvesting), with exceptions. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to one year, or both. Further, the bill establishes certain requirements for reporting results of federal elections, including by requiring states to count all eligible ballots within 24 hours after the election. Next, the bill provides for the automatic registration of eligible voters. The Election Assistance Commission must make grants to states to implement these automatic voter registration programs. It also requires states and jurisdictions to use standards that apply equally to all methods of voting used in federal elections, including standards related to signature verification. Finally, the bill establishes the National Deconfliction Voting Database and Clearinghouse to serve as a database and clearinghouse for voter registration records and lists of eligible voters. Additionally, each state must certify that it has removed ineligible voters from the official list of eligible voters prior to the federal election.
A bill to require Federal agencies to impose in-person work requirements for employees of those agencies and to occupy a certain portion of the office space of those agencies, and for other purposes.
One Bill, One Subject Transparency Act This bill requires each bill or joint resolution to include no more than one subject and the subject to be clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title. An appropriations bill may not contain any general legislation or change to existing law that is not germane to the subject of such bill. The bill voids measures or provisions noncompliant with these requirements, including appropriation provisions outside the relevant subcommittee's jurisdiction. Additionally, a person (individual or entity) who is aggrieved by the enforcement, or the attempted enforcement, of a law that passed without complying with this bill's requirements may sue the United States for appropriate relief.
Preventing Child Sex Abuse Act of 2023 This bill makes changes to the federal law prohibiting child sexual tourism. First, the bill revises the specific intent required for certain offenses involving interstate or foreign travel to engage in or facilitate illicit sexual conduct. Specifically, this bill requires the government to prove that an individual traveled (or facilitated travel) with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct (currently, with a motivating purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct). Further, it specifies that the term intent is to be construed as any intention to engage in illicit sexual conduct at the time of the travel. Second, the bill establishes new criminal offenses for acts in furtherance of illicit sexual conduct by an officer, director, employee, or agent of an organization through his or her connection to or affiliation with the organization. A violation is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to 30 years, or both. Finally, the bill specifies that the term sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense does not require interpersonal physical contact.
Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act or the FARM Act This bill places the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. It also requires the committee to review any investment that could result in foreign control of any U.S. agricultural business. Further, the bill includes agricultural systems and supply chains in the definitions of critical infrastructure and critical technologies for the purposes of reviewing such investments. The Department of Agriculture and the Government Accountability Office must each analyze and report on foreign influence in the U.S. agricultural industry.
Native American Education Opportunity Act This bill addresses education savings account programs and charter schools for tribal students. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education and the Department of the Interior, at the request of federally recognized Indian tribes, to provide funds to tribes for tribal-based education savings account programs. Tribes must use these funds to award grants to education savings accounts for students who (1) attended or will be eligible to attend a school operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE); or (2) will not be attending a school operated by the BIE, receiving an education savings account from another tribe, or attending public elementary or secondary school while participating in the program. Funds may be used for items and activities such as costs of attendance at private schools, private tutoring and online learning programs, textbooks, educational software, or examination fees. The Government Accountability Office must review the implementation of these education savings account programs, including any factors impacting increased participation in such programs. Additionally, the bill authorizes the BIE to approve and fund charter schools at any school that it operates or funds.
David Dorn Act of 2023 This bill increases criminal penalties for rioting and related offenses (e.g., inciting a riot). Specifically, the bill increases the maximum prison term from 5 to 10 years. Additionally, if a fine is imposed for an offense, the bill sets a minimum fine amount of $1,000.
Reporting Accountability and Abuse Prevention Act of 2023 This bill requires recipients of grants for family planning services to demonstrate their compliance with state and local laws that mandate reporting of child abuse, human trafficking, or other mistreatment. If a grantee does not comply, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must first work with the grantee to remedy violations. For subsequent violations, the bill directs HHS to recoup funds received by the grantee. It also bars the grantee from receiving family planning funds for 36 months.