[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8264 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8264
To improve the processing of samples of sexual assault evidence, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 1, 2022
Mr. Cleaver (for himself, Ms. Adams, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Brownley, Mr.
Carson, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. Costa,
Ms. Davids of Kansas, Ms. DelBene, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms.
Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Larsen of Washington,
Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Ms. Norton,
Mr. O'Halleran, Mr. Pappas, Ms. Porter, Ms. Ross, Ms. Sewell, Mr.
Takano, Ms. Titus, Mr. Torres of New York, Ms. Velazquez, Mrs. Watson
Coleman, Mrs. Wagner, and Ms. Clark of Massachusetts) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the processing of samples of sexual assault evidence, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Backlog Justice Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL RAPE KIT BACKLOG DATABASE.
(a) In General.--The Attorney General, acting through the Director
of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, shall establish, maintain, and
update not less than biannually, a publicly accessible online database
of information from inventories or audits conducted by States and units
of local governments of the sexual assault evidence collection kits
that are in the possession of the State or unit of local government and
have been awaiting testing for more than 90 days, including an estimate
of the amount of time it takes for each laboratory, with respect to
which data is submitted, to test a sexual assault evidence collection
kit.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to
carry out this section.
SEC. 3. TRAINING ANALYSTS TO TEST SAMPLES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE.
(a) Authorization.--The Attorney General, acting through the
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is authorized to
develop and operate training programs at the Federal Bureau of
Investigation laboratory--
(1) for individuals hired by States and units of local
government as analysts to test samples of sexual assault
evidence, which may include training at the Federal Bureau of
Investigation laboratory or at State and local laboratories;
(2) pursuant to which individuals hired and trained by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation as analysts to test samples of
sexual assault evidence, may be hired by States and units of
local government upon completion of such training; and
(3) for DNA Technical Leader training, including a
curriculum to host both in-person and remote training sessions
for technical leaders or trained DNA examiners seeking to
become technical leaders.
(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed
to require a State or local forensic science services provider to
participate in a program established under subsection (a).
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to
carry out this section.
SEC. 4. VALIDATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM.
(a) Authorization.--The Attorney General, acting through the
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is authorized to
convene and coordinate, in conjunction with State and local forensic
science service providers, a validation and technology transfer
program, pursuant to which the Federal Bureau of Investigation
laboratory, in partnership with a collaborative of State and local
forensic science service providers, may research new technologies and
processes for processing DNA, and provide for use by State and local
laboratories related to such technologies and processes--
(1) analytical protocols;
(2) developmental validation data; and
(3) model lab instrument performance verification plans.
(b) Validation List.--Upon completing the research described in
subsection (a), the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is
authorized to publish a list of validated technologies and processes,
along with validation data and additional documentation related to each
such technology or process.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to
carry out this section.
SEC. 5. INCREASE IN STOP GRANT FUNDING FOR STATES THAT HAVE IN PLACE
ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE TRACKING SYSTEMS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT
KITS.
(a) Authorization.--Beginning in fiscal year 2024, the Attorney
General shall increase by not more than 10 percent the amount provided
to a State under the part T of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10441 et seq.) if the State has in
place an electronic evidence tracking system for sexual assault kits
that complies with the requirements under subsection (b).
(b) Tracking System Requirements.--In order to qualify for the
grant increase under subsection (a), the tracking system shall be a
website that provides information to victims of sexual assault who
underwent a sexual assault kit examination and their advocates on each
stage of the processing of a rape kit, including from the hospital, to
a local law enforcement agency, through the analysis process at a lab,
to final disposition.
(c) Period of Increase.--
(1) In general.--The Attorney General shall provide an
increase in the amount provided to a State under the program
described in subsection (a) for a 2-year period.
(2) Limit.--The Attorney General may not provide an
increase in the amount provided to a State under the program
described in subsection (a) more than 4 times.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to
carry out this section.
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