Backlog Justice Act of 2022

Backlog Justice Act of 2022

This bill requires certain actions to address the backlog of untested sexual assault kits. For example, the bill (1) directs the Bureau of Justice Assistance to establish a publicly accessible online database regarding untested kits, and (2) requires the Department of Justice to provide an increased amount of certain grant funding for states that have in place electronic evidence tracking systems for these kits.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8264 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8264

 To improve the processing of samples of sexual assault evidence, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 1, 2022

 Mr. Cleaver (for himself, Ms. Adams, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Brownley, Mr. 
 Carson, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. Costa, 
  Ms. Davids of Kansas, Ms. DelBene, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. 
Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Larsen of Washington, 
Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Ms. Norton, 
   Mr. O'Halleran, Mr. Pappas, Ms. Porter, Ms. Ross, Ms. Sewell, Mr. 
 Takano, Ms. Titus, Mr. Torres of New York, Ms. Velazquez, Mrs. Watson 
 Coleman, Mrs. Wagner, and Ms. Clark of Massachusetts) introduced the 
  following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To improve the processing of samples of sexual assault evidence, and 
                          for other purposes.

    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 ``Backlog Justice Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL RAPE KIT BACKLOG DATABASE.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General, acting through the Director 
of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, shall establish, maintain, and 
update not less than biannually, a publicly accessible online database 
of information from inventories or audits conducted by States and units 
of local governments of the sexual assault evidence collection kits 
that are in the possession of the State or unit of local government and 
have been awaiting testing for more than 90 days, including an estimate 
of the amount of time it takes for each laboratory, with respect to 
which data is submitted, to test a sexual assault evidence collection 
kit.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to 
carry out this section.

SEC. 3. TRAINING ANALYSTS TO TEST SAMPLES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE.

    (a) Authorization.--The Attorney General, acting through the 
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is authorized to 
develop and operate training programs at the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation laboratory--
            (1) for individuals hired by States and units of local 
        government as analysts to test samples of sexual assault 
        evidence, which may include training at the Federal Bureau of 
        Investigation laboratory or at State and local laboratories;
            (2) pursuant to which individuals hired and trained by the 
        Federal Bureau of Investigation as analysts to test samples of 
        sexual assault evidence, may be hired by States and units of 
        local government upon completion of such training; and
            (3) for DNA Technical Leader training, including a 
        curriculum to host both in-person and remote training sessions 
        for technical leaders or trained DNA examiners seeking to 
        become technical leaders.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed 
to require a State or local forensic science services provider to 
participate in a program established under subsection (a).
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to 
carry out this section.

SEC. 4. VALIDATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization.--The Attorney General, acting through the 
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is authorized to 
convene and coordinate, in conjunction with State and local forensic 
science service providers, a validation and technology transfer 
program, pursuant to which the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
laboratory, in partnership with a collaborative of State and local 
forensic science service providers, may research new technologies and 
processes for processing DNA, and provide for use by State and local 
laboratories related to such technologies and processes--
            (1) analytical protocols;
            (2) developmental validation data; and
            (3) model lab instrument performance verification plans.
    (b) Validation List.--Upon completing the research described in 
subsection (a), the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is 
authorized to publish a list of validated technologies and processes, 
along with validation data and additional documentation related to each 
such technology or process.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to 
carry out this section.

SEC. 5. INCREASE IN STOP GRANT FUNDING FOR STATES THAT HAVE IN PLACE 
              ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE TRACKING SYSTEMS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT 
              KITS.

    (a) Authorization.--Beginning in fiscal year 2024, the Attorney 
General shall increase by not more than 10 percent the amount provided 
to a State under the part T of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10441 et seq.) if the State has in 
place an electronic evidence tracking system for sexual assault kits 
that complies with the requirements under subsection (b).
    (b) Tracking System Requirements.--In order to qualify for the 
grant increase under subsection (a), the tracking system shall be a 
website that provides information to victims of sexual assault who 
underwent a sexual assault kit examination and their advocates on each 
stage of the processing of a rape kit, including from the hospital, to 
a local law enforcement agency, through the analysis process at a lab, 
to final disposition.
    (c) Period of Increase.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General shall provide an 
        increase in the amount provided to a State under the program 
        described in subsection (a) for a 2-year period.
            (2) Limit.--The Attorney General may not provide an 
        increase in the amount provided to a State under the program 
        described in subsection (a) more than 4 times.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to 
carry out this section.
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