Criminal Justice (Domestic Violence)

The Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026 requires federal courts to issue permanent no-contact orders against individuals convicted of specific violent felonies or sexual offenses. These orders, which take effect at sentencing, prohibit any direct or indirect communication or physical interaction between the defendant and the victim for the rest of the defendant's life. Victims can request these injunctions without paying any fees, and violations are punishable as contempt of court. The only ways to end or suspend the order are if the victim petitions the court due to a pardon or changed circumstances, or if the defendant proves their conviction was dismissed or overturned on appeal.

This bill (HR 223) prohibits federal funding for implementing or enforcing "red flag laws," which allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals without proper court review. It blocks all federal money from being used by any federal agency or to assist state/local governments in carrying out these laws. The bill does not ban red flag laws themselves but prevents federal financial support for their enforcement.

S 1136, the DETERRENCE Act, adds sentencing enhancements for certain federal crimes when committed "knowingly at the direction of or in coordination with a foreign government or an agent of a foreign government." It applies to existing offenses including kidnapping (up to 10 additional years), murder-for-hire (up to 10 years), stalking (up to 10 years for serious cases), attacks on federal officials (up to 10 years), and threats against presidential staff (up to 10 years). The bill does not create new crimes but increases penalties for specific violations where foreign government coordination is proven. It directly affects individuals convicted under these provisions who are found to have acted with foreign government involvement.

HR 2394, the DETERRENCE Act, amends federal criminal sentencing laws to increase penalties for certain offenses when committed "knowingly at the direction of or in coordination with a foreign government." It applies to existing crimes including kidnapping (up to 10 additional years), murder-for-hire (up to 10 years if injury occurs), stalking (up to 30 months), attacks on federal officials (up to 10 years), and threats against presidential staff (up to 10 years). The bill adds specific sentencing enhancements where foreign government involvement is proven, with higher penalties for offenses causing injury, using weapons, or resulting in death. It directly affects individuals convicted of these crimes under the specified circumstances.

This bill revises Washington D.C. law to require cash bail for individuals charged with "public safety or order crimes" (such as failure to appear, obstruction, rioting, or certain burglaries/robberies not involving weapons) and mandates pretrial detention for those charged with "crime of violence" or "dangerous crime" (expanding definitions to include first-degree or weapon-enhanced offenses). It removes exceptions allowing release without cash bail for violent crimes and replaces existing pretrial release procedures with new criteria focusing on public safety risks. The changes apply to offenses committed 30 days after enactment and define key terms like "secured appearance bond" (requiring property or money as collateral). This modifies D.C.'s existing bail framework to increase detention or financial requirements for specific offenses.