Tagged: crime and law enforcement

No Federal Funds for Political Prosecutions ActThis bill specifies that no funds or property received through equitable sharing by a state or local law enforcement agency with the authority to prosecute a criminal case may be used to investigate or prosecute a current or former President or Vice President, or a candidate for the office of President.

Defund Heroin Injection Centers Act of 2025This bill prohibits federal funds from being made available to a state, local, tribal, or private entity that operates or controls an injection center (i.e., a medically supervised injection site) in violation of the federal statute commonly known as the Crack House Statute. The statute generally prohibits making facilities available for the purpose of unlawfully using a controlled substance.

Venue Named Under Exception Act or the VENUE ActThis bill changes the venue rules for cases involving criminal offenses on federal property in the National Capital Region. Venue refers to the court where it is proper for a case to proceed.Specifically, the bill requires certain cases involving criminal offenses committed on federal property in the National Capital Region (Washington, DC and specified regions of Maryland and Virginia) to be brought in the district of the last known residence of the offender (or of any one of two or more joint offenders). If the last residence of the offender is not known, then the case may be brought in DC. 

Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and Endangering Our Communities Act or the SERVE Our Communities Act This bill authorizes the Bureau of Justice Assistance to make grants to states and local governments for mentoring, transitional services, and training to help offenders successfully reintegrate back into the community after incarceration. To be eligible for a grant, a state or local government must take steps to prevent repeat offenses by violent offenders and allow a state court or magistrate to consider the danger an individual poses to the community when determining bail or pretrial release conditions.

Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act This bill establishes requirements for the degree of care a health care practitioner must provide in the case of a child born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion. Specifically, a health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as would reasonably be provided to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) ensure the child is immediately admitted to a hospital. Additionally, a health care practitioner or other employee who has knowledge of a failure to comply with the degree-of-care requirements must immediately report such failure to law enforcement. A health care practitioner who fails to provide the required degree of care, or a health care practitioner or other employee who fails to report such failure, is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. An individual who intentionally kills or attempts to kill a child born alive is subject to prosecution for murder. The bill bars the criminal prosecution of a mother of a child born alive under this bill and allows her to bring a civil action against a health care practitioner or other employee for violations.

Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl ActThis bill permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act.Under the bill, offenses involving fentanyl-related substances are triggered by the same quantity thresholds and subject to the same penalties as offenses involving fentanyl analogues (e.g., offenses involving 100 grams or more trigger a 10-year mandatory minimum prison term).Additionally, the bill establishes a new, alternative registration process for certain schedule I research.The bill also makes several other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, includingpermitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances,waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, andallowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration.Finally, the bill expresses the sense that Congress agrees with the interpretation of Controlled Substances Act in United States v. McCray, a 2018 case decided by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. In that case, the court held that butyryl fentanyl, a controlled substance, can be considered an analogue of fentanyl even though, under the Controlled Substances Act, the term controlled substance analogue specifically excludes a controlled substance.

Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety ActThis bill establishes new federal criminal offenses for operating a motor vehicle within 100 miles of the U.S. border while fleeing from a U.S. Border Patrol agent or a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer who is actively assisting or under the command of the U.S. Border Patrol.The bill establishes criminal penalties for an offense, including a mandatory minimum prison term for an offense resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Additionally, a non-U.S. national who is convicted of or admits to committing an offense is inadmissible, deportable, and ineligible for immigration relief (including asylum).

Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity ActThis bill establishes a federal statutory framework to regulate the carry or possession of concealed firearms across state lines.Specifically, an individual who is eligible to carry a concealed firearm in one state may carry or possess a concealed handgun (other than a machine gun or destructive device) in another state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms.It sets forth requirements for lawful concealed carry across state lines. The bill preempts most state and local laws related to concealed carry and establishes a private right of action for a person adversely affected by interference with a concealed-carry right established by this bill.

Secret Service Prioritization Act of 2025This bill transfers most investigative authorities of the U.S. Secret Service to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Specifically, the bill transfers to the FBI the Secret Service's authority to investigate federal criminal offenses involving (1) certain misconduct in connection with government transportation requests, federal farm loans, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; (2) coins, obligations, and securities of the United States and foreign governments, including counterfeiting of U.S. currency; and (3) financial and computer-based crimes, including identity theft, electronic access fraud, computer fraud, and electronic benefits transfer fraud. Under the bill, the Secret Service retains the authority to investigate two categories of federal criminal offenses: (1) threats against the President, President-elect, Vice President, or Vice President-elect; and (2) threats against former Presidents and certain other persons. 

Mens Rea Reform Act of 2025This bill establishes a default mens rea standard (i.e., state of mind requirement) for federal criminal offenses—statutory and regulatory—that lack an explicit standard.The government must generally prove that a defendant acted knowingly with respect to each element of an offense for which the text does not specify a state of mind. 

Knife Owners’ Protection Act of 2025This bill permits an individual to transport a knife between two places (e.g., states) where knife possession, carry, or transport is legal. The knife must be transported in compliance with the bill's accessibility and secure storage requirements, unless it is an emergency knife or tool designed to cut seat belts.An individual who is transporting a knife in compliance with this bill may not be arrested or detained for a knife violation unless there is probable cause to believe the individual failed to comply with the accessibility or secure storage requirements. An individual may assert compliance with this bill as a claim or defense in any civil or criminal proceeding.