C4CLP

A project of the Center for Children, Law & Policy at the University of Houston Law Center

 

Federal Legislative Tracking

The following bills were introduced during the 1st Session of the 111th U.S. Congress and are currently being tracked by the Center for Children, Law & Policy.

JUVENILE JUSTICE

HR 256:  To enhance Federal enforcement of hate crimes, and for other purposes

In addressing the commission of hate crimes, HR 256 directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to study the issue of adult recruitment of juveniles to commit hate crimes and, if appropriate, to amend the federal sentencing guidelines to provide sentencing enhancements for such an offense.  HR 256 also requires the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make grants to state and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles.

HR 582:  To reauthorize the public and assisted housing drug elimination program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development

HR 582 amends the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 to authorize appropriations for the assisted housing drug elimination program.  HR 582 limits activities for programs designed to reduce drug use in and around assisted low-income housing to: (1) providing drug abuse treatment through rehabilitation or relapse prevention; (2) providing education about the dangers and consequences of drug use or violent crime; (3) identifying drug users, and assisting drug use discontinuance through education or treatment programs; (4) providing after school youth activities for the purpose of discouraging, reducing, or eliminating drug use or violent crime by youths; and (5) providing capital improvements and security services to discourage or eliminate drug use or violent crime.

HR 750:  To allow postal patrons to contribute to funding for gang prevention programs through the voluntary purchase of certain specially issued postage stamps

HR 750 directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue a special postage stamp to provide funding for the Department of Justice Gang Resistance Education and Training Program.

HR 1022:  To increase and enhance law enforcement resources committed to investigation and prosecution of violent gangs, to deter and punish violent gang crime, to protect law-abiding citizens and communities from violent criminals, to revise and enhance criminal penalties for violent crimes, to expand and improve gang prevention programs, and for other purposes.

Among various other ways of combating gang violence, HR 1022 directs the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a National Gang Research, Evaluation, and Policy Institute. The bill also authorizes the Office to make grants to governmental and private entities to develop community-based crime prevention programs designed for gang members and at-risk youth.  

The bill also directs the Secretary of Labor to make grants for juvenile offender reintegration projects and for employment programs for young adult gang members to reduce recidivism and promote long-term employability.

HR 1139:  To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to enhance the COPS ON THE BEAT grant program, and for other purposes

HR 1139 amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the authority of the Attorney General to make grants for public safety and community policing programs (COPS ON THE BEAT grant program).

HR 1139 authorizes grants to: (1) hire school resource officers and establish local partnerships to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems in elementary and secondary schools; (2) establish and implement programs to reduce and prevent illegal drug activities, including the manufacturing, distribution, and use of methamphetamine; (3) establish criminal gang enforcement task forces; and (4) meet emerging law enforcement needs, as warranted.

HR 1149:  To reauthorize the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, and for other purposes

The Child Protection Reauthorization Act of 2009  (HR 1149) amends the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 to extend through FY2012 funding under such Act for: (1) the Sex Offender Management Assistance (SOMA) program; (2) federal assistance to states for enforcing sex offender registration requirements; (3) pilot programs for monitoring sex offenders; (4) grants to combat sexual abuse of children; (5) the Jessica Lunsford address verification grant program; and (6) the program for safe surrender of fugitives.

HR 1149 also amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to extend through FY2012 funding for: (1) sex offender apprehension grants; and (2) juvenile sex offender treatment grants.

HR 1589:  To amend the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to authorize the use of grant funds for gang prevention, and for other purposes.

HR 1589 addresses the negative impact that bullying and gang activity has on children and youth.  HR 1589 would incorporate both bullying and gang prevention into the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act so that federal funds could be used to address and reduce both of these areas of concern.

S 132:  A bill to increase and enhance law enforcement resources committed to investigation and prosecution of violent gangs, to deter and punish violent gang crime, to protect law-abiding citizens and communities from violent criminals, to revise and enhance criminal penalties for violent crimes, to expand and improve gang prevention programs, and for other purposes

S 132 amends the federal criminal code to: (1) impose penalties on individuals who knowingly commit a gang crime or other violent crime in furtherance of a criminal street gang or who recruit persons to participate in a gang; (2) expand the prohibition against committing violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity to include gang-related racketeering activity; and (3) increase criminal penalties for threats, attempts, or conspiracies to commit crimes of violence.

A few of the ways S 132 specifically focuses on juveniles is that it directs the Office of Justice Programs to establish a National Gang Research, Evaluation, and Policy Institute to design and evaluate anti-gang programs.  S 132 authorizes the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make grants to develop community-based programs that provide crime prevention, research, and intervention services for gang members and at-risk youth. S 132 also amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to direct the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to expand the number of sites receiving juvenile delinquency reduction grants.

S 208:  A bill to provide Federal coordination and assistance in preventing gang violence

S 208 authorizes any local or tribal government to submit an application to the Attorney General for designation as a High Intensity Gang Activity Area.

S 208 then directs the Attorney General to: (1) establish criteria for reviewing such applications; and (2) establish an Interagency Gang Prevention Task Force in each Area. Directs each Task Force to: (1) coordinate government activities to create a comprehensive gang prevention response, focusing on early childhood intervention, at-risk youth intervention, literacy, employment, community policing, and comprehensive community-based programs such as Operation Cease Fire; (2) coordinate with local and regional gang prevention efforts; (3) prioritize the needs of each Area for funding under specified federal community assistance and grant programs; and (4) report to the Attorney General on the funding needs and programmatic outcomes for each Area.

S 435:  A bill to provide for evidence-based and promising practices related to juvenile delinquency and criminal street gang activity prevention and intervention to help build individual, family, and community strength and resiliency to ensure that youth lead productive, safe, health, gang-free, and law-abiding lives.

S 435 amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to establish a PROMISE Advisory Panel to assist the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in: (1) assessing and developing standards and evidence-based practices to prevent juvenile delinquency and criminal street gang activity; and (2) collecting data in designated geographic areas to assess the needs and existing resources for juvenile delinquency and criminal street gang activity prevention and intervention.  This bill also provides numerous grants to local governments and Indian tribes for the development and administration of juvenile delinquency and gang prevention/intervention programs.

S 678: A bill to reauthorize and improve the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, and for other purposes

S 678 amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (Act) to reauthorize through FY2014 the juvenile delinquency prevention programs of such Act.

Requires the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (Office) to include in the annual report of the Office information on juveniles held in state and local secure detention and correctional facilities, the treatment of status offenders (e.g., runaways, truants), and evidence based programs for juvenile delinquency prevention.

Expands requirements for state plans under the Act to require: (1) statewide compliance with the core requirement of the Act for protection of incarcerated juveniles; (2) alternatives to detention for juveniles who are status or first-time minor offenders; (3) use of community-based services to address the needs of at-risk youth; (4) programs to improve the recruitment, selection, training, and retention of professionals working in juvenile delinquency prevention programs; and (5) the identification of racial and ethnic disparities among juveniles in the juvenile justice system.

Eliminates as a requirement under the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Block Grant Program evidence that Indian tribe grant applicants perform law enforcement functions.

Authorizes the Administrator to make incentive grants to state and local governments for juvenile delinquency prevention programs, including evidence based programs for the prevention and reduction of juvenile delinquency, personnel recruitment and training, and mental health and substance abuse screening and treatment.

Includes mentoring programs as a permissible grant purpose under the Incentive Grant Program for Local Delinquency Prevention. Reauthorizes such grant program through FY2014.

JUVENILES — IN GENERAL

HR 182:  To provide discretionary authority to an immigration judge to determine that an alien parent of a United States citizen child should not be ordered removed, deported, or excluded from the United States.

HR 182 amends the Immigration and Nationality Act and grants an immigration judge the discretion to decline to order the removal, deportation or exclusion of an alien who is the parent of a U.S. citizen child, if the judge determines that such an action is against the best interests of the child.  

HR 257:  To prevent children’s access to firearms.

HR 257 would amend the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to: (1) raise the age of handgun eligibility to 21 (currently, 18); and (2) prohibit persons under age 21 from possessing semiautomatic assault weapons or large capacity ammunition feeding devices, with exceptions.

HR 618:  To require the President to call a White House Conference on Children and Youth in 2010.

HR 618 directs the President to call a White House Conference on Children and Youth in 2010 to develop recommendations and plans for action to meet the challenges and needs of children and families involved with the child welfare system.  More specifically, Federal, State, and local programs and policies should be developed to reduce the number of children who are abused and neglected in the first place, to reduce the number of children in foster care, and to dramatically increase the number of children in permanent placements through family reunification, kinship placement, and adoption, and increase the overall health and well-being of children.

HR 1215:  To reform immigration detention procedures, and for other purposes

HR 1215 directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to require live training of all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel who come into contact with unaccompanied alien children.  HR 1215 also ensures that unaccompanied alien children in the temporary custody of DHS will:  (1) receive emergency medical care; (2) receive mental health care in case of trauma and has access to psychosocial health services; (3) is provided with a pillow, linens, and sufficient blankets to rest at a comfortable temperature, a bed, and a mattress placed in an area specifically designated for residential use; (4) receive adequate nutrition; (5) enjoy a safe and sanitary living environment; (6) receive educational materials; and (7) have access to at least three hours per day of indoor and outdoor recreational programs and activities.

S 163:  A bill to amend the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to establish a permanent background check system

S 163 amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to direct the Attorney General to establish a program for national criminal history background checks for child-serving organizations.

Requires the Attorney General to: (1) establish an applicant processing center to streamline the process of obtaining nationwide background checks; (2) enter into an agreement with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to establish a criminal history resource center to provide child-serving organizations with reliable and accurate information for interpreting criminal histories; and (3) assess annually the compliance of state criminal background check programs with requirements of this Act.

Sets forth the duties of applicant processing centers, procedures for requesting a nationwide criminal background check, and fee schedules for background checks. Grants individuals who are the subject of a background check the right to request full criminal history reports and to challenge the accuracy and completeness of such reports.

Grants limited immunity to child-serving organizations and NCMEC for acts and omissions in obtaining or using criminal history background information.

JUVENILES — CRIMES AGAINST

H Res 125:  Calling on Brazil in accordance with its obligations under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction to obtain, as a matter of extreme urgency, the return of Sean Goldman to his father David Goldman in the United States; urging the governments of all countries that are partners with the United States to the Hague Convention to fulfill their obligations to return abducted children to the United States; and recommending that all other nations, including Japan, that have unresolved international child abduction cases join the Hague Convention and establish procedures to promptly and equitably address the tragedy of international child abductions

Calls on Brazil to discharge its duties under the Hague Convention to bring about Sean Goldman’s return to his father David Goldman in the United States.  Urges countries determined by the Department of State to have issues of non-compliance with the Convention to fulfill their obligations.  Calls on all other nations to join the Convention and to establish procedures to address the tragedy of child abductions.  

Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should: (1) review its diplomatic procedures and the operations available under the Convention to ensure that effective assistance is provided to Mr. Goldman and other U.S. citizens in obtaining the return of their children from Brazil and other countries; (2) take other appropriate measures to ensure that Convention partners return abducted children to the United States; (3) urge other nations to become parties to the Convention; and (4) continue to work for the return of children abducted from the United States and for parental visitation rights when return is not yet achieved.

  • Sponsor:  Rep. Christopher Smith, Cosponsors
  • Text:  Summary |  Full Text
  • Status:  Passed/agreed to in House on 03/11/2009.  Now on motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended.  Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 418 - 0 (Roll no. 120). 

HR 382:  To create a separate DNA database for predators against children, and for other purposes. 

HR 382 directs the Attorney General to establish and maintain a database solely for collecting DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) information with respect to predators against children.  This bill also provides for grants to states to improve programs to decrease recidivism of child predators.

HR 432:  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow parents of murdered children to continue to claim the deduction for the personal exemption with respect to such child

HR 432 amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow parents of a murdered child to continue to claim a personal tax exemption for such child for five years after the death of such child or the date on which such child would have attained the age of 18, whichever is earlier.

HR 781:  To develop a national system of oversight of States for sexual misconduct in the elementary and secondary school system

HR 781 requires that by FY2012 states have in effect laws and policies that require disciplining of any school, state, or local educational agency employee who, having reason to believe another employee has committed an act of sexual misconduct against a student, fails to report such act in the same manner the state requires the reporting of child abuse and neglect or, in the absence of such a requirement, as quickly as practicable.  HR 781 also authorizes the Secretary to penalize noncompliant states by reducing their funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 by up to 5%.

HR 789:  To reduce and prevent teen dating violence, and for other purposes.

HR 789 authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to state, local, or tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and community and faith-based organizations to provide services and education and counseling programs for runaway and homeless youth or other at-risk youth who are the victims of domestic or dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

HR 911:  To require certain standards and enforcement provisions to prevent child abuse and neglect in residential programs, and for other purposes. 

HR 911 seeks to establish national standards for residential treatment programs that treat troubled teens.  HR 911 seeks to: (1) implement an ongoing review process for investigating and evaluating reports of child abuse and neglect; (2) establish public websites with information about each covered program, as well as a national toll-free telephone hotline to receive complaints; (3) establish civil penalties for violations of standards; and (4) establish a process to ensure that complaints received by the hotline are promptly reviewed by persons with appropriate expertise. This bill also amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to establish additional eligibility requirements for grants to states to prevent child abuse and neglect at residential programs.

HR 1076:  To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect youth from exploitation by adults using the Internet, and for other purposes

HR 1076 amends the federal criminal code to: (1) prohibit financial transactions in interstate or foreign commerce that facilitate access to, or the possession of, child pornography; (2) prohibit conduct by an Internet content hosting provider or email service provider that facilitates access to, or the possession of, child pornography; (3) require providers of electronic communication or remote computing services to retain certain user records for at least two years; (4) establish certain child sexual exploitation crimes as a predicate for money laundering prosecutions; (5) increase criminal penalties for sexual exploitation of children and for child pornography; and (6) establish embezzlement or theft of public property and bribery as predicates for racketeering prosecutions.  Authorizes appropriations for FY2010-FY2014 for the Innocent Images National Initiative.

S 436:  A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to protect youth from exploitation by adults using the Internet, and for other purposes

S 436 amends the federal criminal code to: (1) prohibit financial transactions in interstate or foreign commerce that facilitate access to, or the possession of, child pornography; (2) prohibit conduct by an Internet content hosting provider or email service provider that facilitates access to, or the possession of, child pornography; (3) require providers of electronic communication or remote computing services to retain certain user records for at least two years; (4) establish certain child sexual exploitation crimes as a predicate for money laundering prosecutions; (5) increase criminal penalties for sexual exploitation of children and for child pornography; and (6) establish embezzlement or theft of public property and bribery as predicates for racketeering prosecutions.

S Res 4:  A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the Supreme Court of the United States erroneously decided Kennedy v. Louisiana, No. 07-343 (2008), and that the eighth amendment to the Constitution of the United States allows the imposition of the death penalty for the rape of a child

JUVENILES — IN FOSTER CARE

S 410:  A bill to amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to ensure States follow best policies and practices for supporting and retaining foster parents and to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to States to improve the empowerment, leadership, support, training, recruitment, and retention of foster care, kinship care, and adoptive parents.

S 410 Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to the requirement that state foster care and adoption assistance plans require development of standards to ensure that children in foster care placements in public or private agencies receive quality services that protect their safety and health.  

These standards would require each public and private placement agency to provide foster parents with specified services and information.  Such services and information would include:  (1) notifications of scheduled meetings to allow foster parents the opportunity to participate actively in the case planning and decision-making regarding placement of a child in their home; (2) support services to assist with care of the child; (3) information about the child’s medical history, educational history, general behaviors, life experiences, the placement circumstances of the child, and the relationship between the child and his or her parents; (4) timely and complete information about all permanency options available to the child; and (5) assistance with the coordination of services for dealing with family loss and separation when a child leaves the foster home.

S 735:  A bill to ensure States receive adoption incentive payments for fiscal year 2008 in accordance with the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008

S 735 amends the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 to repeal the limitation on FY2008 adoption incentive payments to states to the same manner as such incentives were awarded in FY2008 for the previous fiscal year.  

The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 became Public Law No 110-351 and amended parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act to connect and support relative caregivers, improve outcomes for children in foster care, provide for tribal foster care and adoption access, improve incentives for adoption, and for other purposes. 

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