H.R. 4165 – Justice for Crime Victims Act of 2014

113th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 4165

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 6, 2014

Mr. Franks of Arizona (for himself, Mr. Costa, Mr. Royce, Mr. Poe of Texas, and Mr. Gosar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To protect crime victims’ rights.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Justice for Crime Victims Act of 2014.

Crime victims' rights

(a)

In general

Section 3771 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:

(9)

The right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement.

(10)

The right to be informed of the rights under this section and the services described in section 503(c) of the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 10607(c)) and provided contact information for the Office of the Victims' Rights Ombudsman of the Department of Justice.

;

(2)

in subsection (d)(3), in the fifth sentence, by inserting , unless the litigants, with the approval of the court, have stipulated to a different time period for consideration before the period; and

(3)

in subsection (e)—

(A)

by striking this chapter, the term and inserting the following: “this chapter:

(1)

Court of appeals

The term court of appeals means—

(A)

the United States court of appeals for the judicial district in which a defendant is being prosecuted; or

(B)

for a prosecution in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

(2)

Crime victim

(A)

In general

The term

;

(B)

by striking In the case and inserting the following:

(B)

Minors and certain other victims

In the case

; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

District court; court

The terms district court and court include the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

(b)

Crime victims fund

Section 1402(d)(3) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10601(d)(3)) is amended—

(1)

by inserting (A) before Of the sums; and

(2)

by striking available for the United States Attorneys Offices and all that follows and inserting the following: ‘‘available only for—

(i)

the United States Attorneys Offices and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to provide and improve services for the benefit of crime victims in the Federal criminal justice system (as described in 3771 of title 18, United States Code, and section 503 of the Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 10607)) through victim coordinators, victims' specialists, and advocates, including for the administrative support of victim coordinators and advocates providing such services; and

(ii)

a Victim Notification System.

(B)

Amounts made available under subparagraph (A) may not be used for any purpose that is not specified in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A).

(c)

Appellate review of petitions relating to crime victims' rights

(1)

In general

Section 3771(d)(3) of title 18, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a)(2) of this section, is amended by inserting after the fifth sentence the following: In deciding such application, the court of appeals shall apply ordinary standards of appellate review..

(2)

Application

The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to any petition for a writ of mandamus filed under section 3771(d)(3) of title 18, United States Code, that is pending on the date of enactment of this Act.

Justice for Crime Victims Act of 2014

Legislative Activity

Bill Text