[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 717 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.717

                     One Hundred Fifteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
           the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen


                                 An Act


 
To promote pro bono legal services as a critical way in which to empower 
                     survivors of domestic violence.

    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 ``Pro bono Work to Empower and 
Represent Act of 2018'' or the ``POWER Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
    Congress finds the following:
        (1) Extremely high rates of domestic violence, dating violence, 
    sexual assault, and stalking exist at the local, State, tribal, and 
    national levels and such violence or behavior harms the most 
    vulnerable members of our society.
        (2) According to a study commissioned by the Department of 
    Justice, nearly 25 percent of women suffer from domestic violence 
    during their lifetime.
        (3) Proactive efforts should be made available in all forums to 
    provide pro bono legal services and eliminate the violence that 
    destroys lives and shatters families.
        (4) A variety of factors cause domestic violence, dating 
    violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and a variety of solutions 
    at the local, State, and national levels are necessary to combat 
    such violence or behavior.
        (5) According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, 
    which conducted a census including almost 1,700 assistance 
    programs, over the course of 1 day in September 2014, more than 
    10,000 requests for services, including legal representation, were 
    not met.
        (6) Pro bono assistance can help fill this need by providing 
    not only legal representation, but also access to emergency 
    shelter, transportation, and childcare.
        (7) Research and studies have demonstrated that the provision 
    of legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating 
    violence, sexual assault, and stalking reduces the probability of 
    such violence or behavior reoccurring in the future and can help 
    survivors move forward.
        (8) Legal representation increases the possibility of 
    successfully obtaining a protective order against an attacker, 
    which prevents further mental and physical injury to a victim and 
    his or her family, as demonstrated by a study that found that 83 
    percent of victims represented by an attorney were able to obtain a 
    protective order, whereas only 32 percent of victims without an 
    attorney were able to do so.
        (9) The American Bar Association Model Rules include commentary 
    stating that ``every lawyer, regardless of professional prominence 
    or professional workload, has a responsibility to provide legal 
    services to those unable to pay, and personal involvement in the 
    problems of the disadvantaged can be one of the most rewarding 
    experiences in the life of a lawyer''.
        (10) As leaders in their legal communities, judges in district 
    courts should encourage lawyers to provide pro bono resources in an 
    effort to help victims of such violence or behavior escape the 
    cycle of abuse.
        (11) A dedicated army of pro bono attorneys focused on this 
    mission will inspire others to devote efforts to this cause and 
    will raise awareness of the scourge of domestic violence, dating 
    violence, sexual assault, and stalking throughout the country.
        (12) Communities, by providing awareness of pro bono legal 
    services and assistance to survivors of domestic violence, dating 
    violence, sexual assault, and stalking, will empower those 
    survivors to move forward with their lives.
SEC. 3. DISTRICT COURTS TO PROMOTE EMPOWERMENT EVENTS.
    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter for a period of 4 years, the chief 
judge, or his or her designee, for each judicial district shall lead 
not less than one public event, in partnership with a State, local, 
tribal, or territorial domestic violence service provider or coalition 
and a State or local volunteer lawyer project, promoting pro bono legal 
services as a critical way in which to empower survivors of domestic 
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and engage 
citizens in assisting those survivors.
    (b) Districts Containing Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations.--
During each 2-year period, the chief judge, or his or her designee, for 
a judicial district that contains an Indian tribe or tribal 
organization (as those terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian 
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) shall 
lead not less than one public event promoting pro bono legal services 
under subsection (a) of this section in partnership with an Indian 
tribe or tribal organization with the intent of increasing the 
provision of pro bono legal services for Indian or Alaska Native 
victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and 
stalking.
    (c) Requirements.--Each chief judge shall--
        (1) have discretion as to the design, organization, and 
    implementation of the public events required under subsection (a); 
    and
        (2) in conducting a public event under subsection (a), seek to 
    maximize the local impact of the event and the provision of access 
    to high-quality pro bono legal services by survivors of domestic 
    violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
    (a) Report to the Director of the Administrative Office of the 
United States Courts.--Not later than October 30 of each year, each 
chief judge shall submit to the Director of the Administrative Office 
of the United States Courts a report detailing each public event 
conducted under section 3 during the previous fiscal year.
    (b) Report to Congress.--
        (1) In general.--Not later than January 1 of each year, the 
    Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts 
    shall submit to Congress a compilation and summary of each report 
    received under subsection (a) for the previous fiscal year.
        (2) Requirement.--Each comprehensive report submitted under 
    paragraph (1) shall include an analysis of how each public event 
    meets the goals set forth in this Act, as well as suggestions on 
    how to improve future public events.
SEC. 5. FUNDING.
    The Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall use 
existing funds to carry out the requirements of this Act.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.