Restitution for the Exonerated Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants, including emergency grants, to nonprofit organizations for programs to provide support services (e.g., employment training, health care services, and legal assistance) to exonerees. Defines "exoneree" as an individual who has been convicted of a crime carrying a prison sentence of one year or more, has served at least six months of such prison sentence, and has been determined to be factually innocent of the crime.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4063 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4063
To authorize grants for programs that provide support services to
exonerees.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 1, 2007
Mr. Payne (for himself, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms. Norton, Mr. Fattah,
Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Towns, Mr. Rush, Mr.
Hastings of Florida, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Ellison, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr.
Grijalva, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Ms.
Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Davis of Illinois, and Mr. Bishop of Georgia)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize grants for programs that provide support services to
exonerees.
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 ``Restitution for the Exonerated Act
of 2007''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
(a) Exoneree Services Grants Authorized.--The Attorney General may
award grants to eligible organizations to carry out programs that
provide support services to exonerees.
(b) Grant Period; Renewability.--A grant awarded under this section
shall be for a period of one year, and may be renewed for subsequent
one-year periods as the Attorney General determines to be appropriate.
(c) Emergency Grants.--The Attorney General may award an emergency
grant under this subsection to an eligible organization that is
receiving a grant under subsection (a), in addition to such grant under
subsection (a), if the Attorney General determines that there is a
systemic problem related to the provision of exoneree support services
in the geographic region serviced by such organization, and that there
is a need to address such systemic problem immediately by increasing
the resources available to such organization. Such an emergency grant
shall be used by the eligible organization to address the immediate
need for support services for exonerees in such region, shall be
awarded for a period not to exceed 6 months, and shall not be
renewable. An eligible organization may not receive more than one
emergency grant under this subsection.
SEC. 3. GRANT USES.
A grant under this section shall be used by an eligible
organization--
(1) to carry out a program that provides and coordinates
the delivery of support services for exonerees, including--
(A) employment training;
(B) vocational training;
(C) education;
(D) health care services;
(E) mental health services;
(F) housing assistance;
(G) substance abuse training;
(H) legal assistance;
(I) children and family support; and
(J) other appropriate services, as determined by
the Attorney General; and
(2) for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the
program described in paragraph (1), including staff salaries,
research, and training.
SEC. 4. APPLICATIONS.
(a) In General.--To request a grant under this Act, an eligible
organization shall submit an application to the Attorney General at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Attorney General may require. Such application shall--
(1) describe the program to be funded by the grant, and the
need for such program;
(2) describe a long-term strategy and detailed
implementation for such program;
(3) identify the governmental and community agencies with
which the program will collaborate, and that the program will
utilize to enhance exoneree services; and
(4) describe the methodology and outcome measures that will
be used to evaluate the effectiveness of such program.
(b) Application Deadlines.--The Attorney General shall solicit and
review applications for grants under this Act at least once during each
six-month period.
(c) Priority Based on Need.--In awarding grants under this Act, the
Attorney General shall give priority to eligible organizations that
serve geographic regions that have the greatest need for exoneree
support services, as determined by the Attorney General.
SEC. 5. REPORTS.
For each year in which an eligible organization receives a grant
under this Act, the eligible organization shall submit a report to the
Attorney General that describes the program carried out by the
organization with such grant, and evaluates the effectiveness of such
program during such year.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Eligible organization.--The term ``eligible
organization'' mean any nonprofit organization that--
(A) has experience and expertise in coordinating
and delivering support services specific to the needs
of exonerees; or
(B) demonstrates the capacity to effectively
coordinate and deliver such support services, as
determined by the Attorney General.
(2) Exoneree.--The term ``exoneree'' means an individual
who--
(A) has been convicted by a Federal or State court
of an offense that is punishable by a term of
imprisonment that is equal to or greater than one year;
(B) has served a term of imprisonment of at least 6
months in a Federal or State prison or other
correctional facility as a result of such conviction;
and
(C) has been determined to be factually innocent of
such offense.
(3) Factually innocent.--The term ``factually innocent''
means, with respect to an individual who has been convicted of
an offense described in paragraph (2)(A), when one or more of
the following has occurred:
(A) A court has issued a factual finding of
innocence.
(B) The Governor of the State in which the
individual was convicted has issued a pardon based on
the facts of the offense for which the individual was
convicted.
(C) The conviction has been vacated or reversed by
a court.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$1,250,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. Amounts
authorized under this section shall remain available until expended.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
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