Criminal Justice across the country

in committee · United States · House Jul 20, 2026

HR 9778: Judicial FOIA Expansion Act

This bill expands the Freedom of Information Act to require federal courts to release specific records upon public request. It mandates the disclosure of attorney disciplinary actions, complaints against judges, meeting minutes, jury selection forms, and performance reports, while explicitly excluding information related to ongoing cases. The legislation also requires that released data be in a machine-readable format and authorizes funding to establish an office within the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to manage these new requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances transparency and accountability in the judicial system by mandating public disclosure of disciplinary actions and performance reports, which strengthens oversight.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Tags Government Transparency

Sponsor Daniel S. Goldman (D) · 4 co-sponsors

Track

in committee · United States · House Jul 22, 2026

HR 9883: Private Detention Corporate Accountability Act of 2026

This bill establishes financial liability for private detention centers and their employees if they cause the wrongful death of a person held there. It allows families of deceased individuals to sue in federal court for at least $5 million in statutory damages plus economic and punitive damages. The law removes the ability of detention staff to use immunity defenses to avoid responsibility and holds the facility itself responsible for the actions of its workers. These rules apply specifically to private companies contracted by the federal government to detain people accused of breaking civil, criminal, or immigration laws.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances accountability for private detention centers and protects civil rights by allowing lawsuits for wrongful death.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill establishes liability for wrongful deaths in private detention centers, protecting immigrant lives and rights.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Detention Enforcement

Sponsor Derek Tran (D) · 3 co-sponsors

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jul 21, 2026

S 5058: Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act of 2026

The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act of 2026 adds new federal penalties for intentionally causing collisions with commercial motor vehicles. It directly affects drivers who stage these accidents and those who arrange for others to do so. Under the bill, a driver who intentionally crashes into a commercial truck faces up to 20 years in prison, while causing serious injury or death in such a staged event carries a minimum sentence of 20 years. The law also holds organizers of these staged crashes criminally liable under the same sentencing guidelines. Prosecution under this federal statute is barred if the individual has already been convicted or acquitted for the same act in state court.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens criminal justice by imposing severe penalties for staged accident fraud, enhancing accountability and deterrence.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill enhances transportation safety by imposing severe penalties for staged accidents involving commercial vehicles, protecting the integrity of the transport system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Sentencing Freight

Sponsor Ashley Moody (R)

Track

in committee · United States · House Jul 30, 2026

HR 10008: Turkey Human Rights Promotion Act of 2026

The Turkey Human Rights Promotion Act of 2026 establishes a formal policy to support democracy and human rights in Turkey while directly affecting U.S. security assistance and diplomatic engagement with the Turkish government. The bill conditions the release of U.S. security funds on the Turkish government certifying that it has reduced the number of political prisoners, stopped using counterterrorism laws to suppress free expression, and complied with European Court of Human Rights rulings. Additionally, the legislation mandates annual reports on human rights conditions in Turkey and authorizes the provision of funding to civil society organizations working to secure the release of detained individuals. If the Turkish government fails to take effective steps to address these violations, the bill directs the President to impose sanctions, restrict visas for responsible officials, and prohibit the export of surveillance technologies to Turkey.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill conditions U.S. aid on Turkey reducing political prisoners and complying with human rights rulings, aligning with protecting civil rights and criminal justice reform.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

Sponsor Dina Titus (D)

Track

in committee · United States · House Jul 27, 2026

HR 9961: No Campaign Funded Cover-Ups Act

This bill, known as the No Campaign Funded Cover-Ups Act, restricts how candidates and federal officials can use campaign money or legal expense funds when facing accusations of sexual assault, abuse, or harassment. Under the new rules, these funds cannot pay for legal fees, settlements, court judgments, or private investigations aimed at discrediting the accuser. The legislation also requires detailed reporting of any legal expenses paid from these sources and applies retroactively to payments made in the two years before the law takes effect.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts using campaign funds to discredit accusers in sexual assault cases, enhancing accountability and protecting victims' rights within the justice system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Violent Crime

Sponsor Ro Khanna (D) · 1 co-sponsor

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jul 20, 2026

S 5033: Judicial FOIA Expansion Act

The Judicial FOIA Expansion Act requires federal courts to release specific records to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. This law mandates the disclosure of attorney disciplinary actions, complaints against judges, meeting minutes, jury selection forms, and performance reports, while explicitly excluding information about ongoing cases. The bill also directs courts to provide this data in machine-readable formats and authorizes $10 million in funding to establish an office within the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to manage these requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances judicial transparency and accountability by mandating public disclosure of disciplinary records and performance reports, which strengthens oversight within the criminal justice system.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates machine-readable data formats and funding for transparency, advancing digital access and data utility.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Tags Government Transparency

Sponsor Adam B. Schiff (D) · 3 co-sponsors

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jul 15, 2026

S 5005: Epstein Files Transparency Act II

This bill, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, strengthens the ability of state attorneys general, district attorneys, and victims to legally challenge the U.S. Attorney General for withholding or redacting records related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. It grants these parties the right to sue in federal court to force the release of unredacted documents, including classified materials, while requiring courts to expedite these cases. The legislation clarifies that federal agencies cannot use standard legal privileges to hide relevant evidence and explicitly defines who qualifies as a victim for the purposes of accessing these files. Additionally, it ensures that state and local law enforcement can use the released information in their own investigations without being restricted by federal privacy regulations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances transparency and accountability in law enforcement by allowing challenges to withheld records, protecting civil rights and improving oversight.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement Tags Government Transparency

Sponsor Jeff Merkley (D) · 1 co-sponsor

Track

introduced · Ohio · House Jul 13, 2026

HB 975: Allow officer to petition for removal from a Brady-Giglio list

To amend section 149.43 and to enact section 2901.51 of the Revised Code to allow a law enforcement officer to petition the court to remove the officer's name from a prosecutor's Brady-Giglio list.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill allows officers to petition for removal from Brady-Giglio lists, enhancing police accountability and protecting civil rights by enabling correction of potentially erroneous exclusions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

Sponsors Phil Plummer (R) , Cindy Abrams (R)

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jul 29, 2026

A 11642: Prohibits unlawful seizure of ballots

This bill creates a new crime for taking possession of ballots that eligible voters have already marked and submitted through legal means. It specifically makes it a class E felony for anyone to seize, confiscate, remove, or otherwise take control of these valid ballots. The law includes exceptions for election officials working with proper approval and law enforcement officers acting under a valid court order. By defining these actions as a felony, the legislation aims to protect the integrity of the voting process from unauthorized interference.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates a felony to protect ballot integrity and prevent unlawful seizure by unauthorized persons, enhancing election security and justice.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Drug Policy Law Enforcement Tags Elections

Track

in committee · Michigan · House Jul 14, 2026

HB 6157: Civil rights: public records; regulation of disclosure of certain information; provide for. Creates new act.

This bill, known as the Shielding Information for Lawful and Ethical Disclosure Act, prevents Michigan government agencies from sharing large amounts of personal data with federal immigration officials without specific authorization. It defines "bulk disclosure" as transferring data on multiple people without reviewing each case individually and allows such sharing only if a court order exists, the transfer serves a specific law enforcement purpose, or it is immediately necessary to protect health and safety. The law applies to all state, county, and municipal departments and officers, while giving the state attorney general the power to seek court orders to stop illegal data sharing.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill protects civil rights by limiting bulk data sharing with immigration officials, enhancing privacy and oversight.90% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill restricts bulk data sharing with federal immigration, protecting immigrant privacy and limiting state cooperation with federal enforcement.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill protects data privacy by restricting bulk disclosure of personal information to federal immigration officials without court orders.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts Law Enforcement Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement Sanctuary Policies Data Privacy Tags Government Transparency

Sponsor Reggie Miller (D) · 7 co-sponsors

Track