Criminal Justice (Victims' Rights) in United States

in committee · United States · Senate Feb 3, 2025

S 361: Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking Act

S 361 amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to adjust how federal grants assist human trafficking victims. It increases the maximum allowable administrative costs for grantees from 3% to up to 7% and from 5% to up to 10%, while requiring at least 95% of grant funds to go directly to victim services. The bill also adds "strengthening program administration and budgeting" as a permitted use of funds. These changes directly affect organizations receiving federal grants under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, providing greater flexibility for operational costs while ensuring most funding supports victims.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Victims' Rights

in committee · United States · House Nov 20, 2025

HR 6227: Human Trafficking Survivor Tax Relief Act

HR 6227, the Human Trafficking Survivor Tax Relief Act, exempts certain compensation received by human trafficking survivors from federal income tax. Specifically, it excludes restitution or civil damages awarded under federal trafficking laws (18 U.S.C. §§1593 and 1595) from taxable income. This applies to payments survivors receive as compensation for trafficking, including criminal restitution or civil damages from lawsuits. The bill directly benefits survivors who receive these specific awards, ensuring they retain more of their compensation. The tax exclusion applies to taxable years beginning after the bill’s enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Income Tax Human Trafficking Victims' Rights

in committee · United States · House Aug 8, 2025

HR 4946: Epstein Crime Victims Act

HR 4946, the Epstein Crime Victims Act, expands rights for crime victims by requiring prosecutors to notify them about plea bargains, deferred prosecutions, or agreements not to prosecute. It directly affects victims in cases where prosecutors enter such agreements. The bill amends federal law to add "nonprosecution agreement" to notification requirements and creates a new right for victims to sue the government in court if they aren’t notified promptly. This provides victims with a concrete legal remedy when their notification rights are violated. The law applies broadly to all federal criminal cases involving these agreements, not just cases related to Jeffrey Epstein.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Courts Human Trafficking Victims' Rights

in committee · United States · Senate Feb 11, 2025

S 516: SHIELD Act of 2023

The SHIELD Act of 2023 makes it a federal crime to knowingly distribute intimate visual depictions (like private photos or videos) without consent when the person had a reasonable expectation of privacy, the image wasn’t voluntarily shared in public, and the distribution causes harm (e.g., psychological or reputational damage). It specifically targets non-consensual sharing of intimate images of adults and prohibits distributing images of minors for abuse or sexual gratification, with penalties of up to 2 years in prison for adults and 3 years for minors. The law includes exceptions for law enforcement, legitimate reporting, medical/educational use, and legal proceedings. It does not apply to platforms that host user content unless they intentionally promote such material.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Victims' Rights

in committee · United States · House Jan 22, 2026

HR 7225: Protecting Child Sex Trafficking Victim Witnesses Act

HR 7225, the Protecting Child Sex Trafficking Victim Witnesses Act, requires the Attorney General to develop and publish victim-centered guidance within 18 months to protect child sex trafficking victims who testify. This guidance covers safe travel, lodging, use of child advocacy centers, and safety planning - both during and after trial. Federal prosecutors, law enforcement, and judges must then receive training on this guidance within 180 days of its release. The bill also updates federal law to include digital recording options for testimony and modernizes definitions to better reflect child trafficking protections.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Law Enforcement Victims' Rights

in committee · United States · House Jul 29, 2025

HR 4817: Immigrant Witness and Victim Protection Act of 2025

The Immigrant Witness and Victim Protection Act of 2025 helps immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other crimes who qualify for protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). It eliminates annual limits on U visas and special immigrant juvenile visas, grants work authorization within 180 days of filing an application, and prohibits deportation or detention while cases are pending. The bill requires victims to be released from detention unless the government proves they pose a specific threat or may skip court, with clear evidence needed to override this presumption. This directly affects immigrant victims seeking legal relief in the U.S. as they navigate their cases without fear of immediate removal.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Immigration ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Human Trafficking Victims' Rights Detention Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

in committee · United States · House Feb 10, 2026

HR 7467: Virginia’s Law

This federal bill (HR 7467) adds civil remedies for victims of specific federal crimes, primarily sexual abuse (18 U.S.C. §§ 2241-2243) and sex trafficking-related transportation crimes (18 U.S.C. §§ 2421-2423). It allows victims to sue perpetrators for damages and legal costs in federal court, with key changes to time limits: most cases must be filed within 10 years of the offense or until the victim turns 18 (if a minor), but no time limit applies to cases involving the specified sections. Civil lawsuits must pause during related criminal trials. The bill directly affects victims of these crimes, particularly minors, by expanding legal options for seeking compensation.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Courts Human Trafficking Victims' Rights

in committee · United States · House Sep 18, 2025

HR 5477: Litigation Reimbursement Act

HR 5477, the Litigation Reimbursement Act, requires courts to automatically award attorney fees and litigation costs to winning parties in certain cases. It changes criminal case rules (amending 18 U.S.C. 3006A) so courts must award fees to defendants who win at trial and are not convicted, rather than allowing judges discretion. It also makes such fee awards mandatory in civil cases (amending 28 U.S.C. § 2412), replacing "may be awarded" with "shall be awarded" for prevailing parties. The bill directly affects individuals or entities that prevail in federal criminal trials resulting in non-convictions or in federal civil litigation. This is a procedural change to existing fee-shifting rules, not a substantive policy shift.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Victims' Rights

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 26, 2025

S 1829: STOP CSAM Act of 2025

The STOP CSAM Act of 2025 strengthens protections for child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation by expanding definitions of abuse to include psychological abuse and kidnapping, and by imposing new reporting requirements on internet service providers. The bill requires providers with over 1 million monthly users to report apparent child sexual abuse material to the CyberTipline within 60 days, with penalties for noncompliance including fines up to $1 million for large providers. It creates new civil remedies allowing victims to sue providers who host or promote child pornography, and establishes protections for "covered persons" (children under 18 who are victims or witnesses) by limiting public disclosure of their personal information. The bill also enhances law enforcement's ability to investigate online child exploitation while maintaining privacy safeguards for victims.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Courts Human Trafficking Victims' Rights Data Privacy Online Safety Social Media

in committee · United States · House Jun 11, 2025

HR 3921: STOP CSAM Act of 2025

The STOP CSAM Act of 2025 would strengthen protections for child victims and witnesses in federal court by creating a new definition of "covered person" to include minors under 18 who are victims or witnesses of abuse, exploitation, or kidnapping. The bill requires internet service providers to report apparent child sexual exploitation to the CyberTipline within 60 days, with civil penalties of $50,000-$250,000 per violation and criminal fines up to $1 million for non-compliance. It also creates new civil remedies allowing victims to sue platforms that host or promote child sexual exploitation, with minimum $300,000 in damages. Additionally, large platforms would be required to submit annual reports to the Attorney General and FTC detailing their safety measures and child exploitation on their platforms.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Courts Human Trafficking Victims' Rights Online Safety Social Media

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