Compassionate Assault Response and Empathy Act of 2024

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9051 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9051

   To amend the Public Health Service Act to expand trauma-informed 
training for law enforcement personnel related to sexual assault cases, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 15, 2024

  Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. 
  Casten, Mr. Moulton, and Ms. Jackson Lee) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Public Health Service Act to expand trauma-informed 
training for law enforcement personnel related to sexual assault cases, 
                        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 ``Compassionate Assault Response and 
Empathy Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. EXPANDING TRAUMA-INFORMED TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT 
              PERSONNEL RELATED TO SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES.

    Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290dd 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 553. EXPANDING TRAUMA-INFORMED TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT 
              PERSONNEL RELATED TO SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to State, Tribal, 
and local law enforcement agencies to establish and expand training for 
law enforcement personnel--
            ``(1) to increase understanding and awareness of the impact 
        of trauma in sexual assault cases; and
            ``(2) to develop and implement strategies for trauma-
        informed responses and policies in such cases.
    ``(b) Period of Grants.--The period of a grant under this section 
shall be 1 year.
    ``(c) Training Described.--The training funded pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall--
            ``(1) be trauma-informed, evidence-based, and victim-
        centered;
            ``(2) focus on the circumstances of individuals who--
                    ``(A) have experienced sexual assault or other 
                sexual violence; and
                    ``(B) dealt with related trauma in interacting with 
                law enforcement; and
            ``(3) include training on--
                    ``(A) how contact with law enforcement can cause or 
                lead to retraumatization of sexual assault victims; and
                    ``(B) how law enforcement personnel can best 
                support victims of sexual assault or other sexual 
                violence during their interactions with law 
                enforcement.
    ``(d) Trainer Listing.--The Secretary shall maintain and make 
available online--
            ``(1) a listing of trainers who provide training described 
        in subsection (c); and
            ``(2) make such listing searchable according to the 
        trainer's--
                    ``(A) geographic area; and
                    ``(B) professional background.
    ``(e) Diversity Among Trainers.--As a condition on receipt of a 
grant under this section, a State, Tribal, or local law enforcement 
agency shall strive to provide the training funded through the grant by 
trainers with--
            ``(1) diverse professional backgrounds; and
            ``(2) inclusive racial, ethnic, and gender representation.
    ``(f) Required Number of Training Hours.--As a condition on receipt 
of a grant under this section, a State, Tribal, or local law 
enforcement agency shall agree to require--
            ``(1) individuals enrolled in a law enforcement academy (or 
        other initial training for law enforcement personnel) of such 
        agency to receive training described in subsection (c) for at 
        least eight hours; and
            ``(2) all other law enforcement personnel of such agency to 
        receive training described in subsection (c) for at least four 
        hours annually.
    ``(g) Reports to Congress.--The Secretary shall collect data and 
submit annual reports to the Congress on the grant program under this 
section. Each such report shall include--
            ``(1) the number of State, Tribal, and local law 
        enforcement agencies receiving grants under this section; and
            ``(2) an evaluation of the effectiveness of such grants in 
        improving trauma-informed training for law enforcement 
        personnel for sexual assault cases.
    ``(h) Definition.--In this section, the term `trauma-informed' 
means based on the knowledge and understanding of trauma and its far-
reaching implications.''.
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