S. 1851 – Reading Mode

114th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1851

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 23, 2015

Mr. Schumer (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to require States to eliminate the use of restraints on pregnant juveniles in State correction facilities, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Human Rights for Girls Act.

Prohibition on use of restraints

Section 223(a) of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5633(a)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (7)(B)—

(A)

in clause (iii), by striking and at the end;

(B)

in clause (iv), by adding and and the end; and

(C)

by inserting after clause (iv) the following:

(v)

not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Human Rights for Girls Act, a plan, which shall be implemented not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the Human Rights for Girls Act, to—

(I)

eliminate the use of restraints of known pregnant juveniles housed in secure juvenile detention and correction facilities, during labor, delivery, and post-partum recovery, unless credible, reasonable grounds exist to believe the detainee presents an immediate and serious threat of hurting herself, staff, or others; and

(II)

eliminate the use of abdominal restraints, leg and ankle restraints, wrist restraints behind the back, and four-point restraints on known pregnant juveniles, unless—

(aa)

credible, reasonable grounds exist to believe the detainee presents an immediate and serious threat of hurting herself, staff, or others; or

(bb)

reasonable grounds exist to believe the detainee presents an immediate and credible risk of escape that cannot be reasonably minimized through any other method;

;

(2)

in paragraph (27), by striking and at the end;

(3)

in paragraph (28), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(4)

by adding at the end the following:

(29)

describe the policies, procedures, and training in effect for the staff of juvenile State correctional facilities to eliminate the use of dangerous practices regarding known pregnant juveniles, including unreasonable restraints.