Grassley, Durbin Reintroduce Bipartisan Criminal Justice Bills

Grassley, Durbin Reintroduce Bipartisan Criminal Justice Bills

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced four bipartisan criminal justice bills to better protect American communities and strengthen the nation's criminal justice system. The First Step Implementation Act, the Safer Detention Act, the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act and the FSA Reporting Extension Act each build off the successes of the lawmakers' First Step Act (FSA), which President Trump signed into law in 2018.

"Criminals must face just penalties, and our nation's criminal justice system should seek to prevent recidivism," Grassley said. "I'm committed to advancing efforts that will help reduce crime, improve our nation's justice system and safeguard American communities."

"Seven years ago, Congress came together to pass the most important criminal justice reform law in a generation. But as its name suggests, it was just the first step," Durbin said. "In order to keep making our justice system fairer and our communities safer, we must continue reforming our antiquated and outdated sentencing laws and providing opportunities for those who are incarcerated to prepare to reenter society successfully. I appreciate Senator Grassley's partnership in this important endeavor."

The First Step Implementation Act, the Safer Detention Act and the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act are endorsed by Right On Crime and the Conservative Political Action Conference. A full list of endorsements is available HERE.

"Each of these bills strengthens public safety in a different way - by ensuring fairness at sentencing, focusing resources on dangerous individuals, and fully implementing reforms that reduce recidivism. Together, they move the federal system toward a smarter, more accountable, and more effective approach to public safety," said Brett Tolman, Executive Director for Right On Crime.

"These solutions complement one another and point in the same direction: a justice system that is more focused on actual risk, more respectful of constitutional limits, and more effective at reducing crime. That's the type of system communities can trust," said Rachel Wright, National Policy Director for Right On Crime.

The First Step Implementation Act:

The First Step Implementation Act would strengthen the First Step Act by:

• Allowing courts to apply First Step Act sentencing reform provisions retroactively;

• Giving courts discretion when sentencing nonviolent controlled substance offenders, or reducing sentences of juvenile offenders who have served more than 20 years;

• Providing for the sealing or expungement of records of nonviolent juvenile offenses; and,

• Requiring the Attorney General to ensure accurate criminal records are shared for employment-related purposes.

This legislation is also endorsed by the Prison Fellowship Ministries.

Bill text is available HERE.

The Safer Detention Act:

The Safer Detention Act would reauthorize and reform the now-expired Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program and clarify applicability of compassionate release from federal prisons.?

This legislation is also endorsed by the Prison Fellowship Ministries.

Bill text is available HERE.

Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act

The Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act would prohibit courts from considering conduct defendants have been acquitted of for sentencing purposes.

Bill text is available HERE.

FSA Reporting Extension Act

The FSA Reporting Extension Act would extend the First Step Act's annual reporting requirement by five years.

The First Step Act required the Attorney General to submit annual reports to Congress on the bill's implementation and impact for five consecutive years, starting two years after implementation. The FSA Reporting Extension Act would extend this reporting through 2030.

Bill text is available HERE.

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