H.R. 3017House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

BIAS Act of 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 2:38 AM UTC

The BIAS Act of 2021 directs the Secretary of Transportation to award grants to colleges and universities to research and develop training programs that address implicit bias and racial profiling during traffic stops. It seeks to improve police practices by studying bias, creating training, and partnering with state and local law‑enforcement agencies. The bill provides $20 million each fiscal year for these grants and requires a report to congressional committees on findings and recommendations.

Key Provisions

Grants are provided to higher‑education institutions for research, development, technology transfer, and training on implicit bias related to racial profiling at traffic stops.
Eligibility requires an active or planned research program on implicit bias and a partnership with state and local police departments to conduct the research and implement training.
Grant recipients must submit a report within one year summarizing research results and recommending effective interventions and trainings.
The program is funded with an authorized appropriation of $20 million per fiscal year.
The bill defines an “implicit bias training program” as a program that examines unconscious attitudes, stereotypes, and lenses that can affect interpersonal interactions.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

May 10, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 7, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

May 7, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

May 10, 2021

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued May 7, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3017

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 7, 2021

Mr. Brown (for himself, Mr. Vargas, and Mrs. Hayes) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to provide a grant for research and training in the operation or establishment of an implicit bias training program, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Bias In Automobile Stops Act of 2021 or BIAS Act of 2021.

Implicit bias research and training grants

(a)

In general

The Secretary of Transportation shall make grants to institutions of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) to carry out research, development, technology transfer, and training activities in the operation or establishment of an implicit bias training program as it relates to racial profiling at traffic stops.

(b)

Qualifications

To be eligible for a grant under this section, an institution of higher education shall—

(1)

have an active research program or demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Secretary, that the applicant is beginning a research program to study implicit bias as it relates to racial profiling before and during traffic stops; and

(2)

partner with State and local police departments to conduct the research described in paragraph (1) and carry out the implementation of implicit bias training with State and local police departments.

(c)

Report

No later than 1 year after a grant has been awarded under this section, the institution of higher education awarded the grant shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report summarizing the research on implicit bias as it relates to racial profiling before and during traffic stops, and recommendations on effective interventions and trainings.

(d)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each fiscal year to carry out this section.

(e)

Definitions

In this section, the term implicit bias training program means a program that looks at the attitudes, stereotypes, and lenses human beings develop through various experiences in life that can unconsciously affect how they interact with one another.