[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3124 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 3124

To expand and improve the Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program to 
   ensure legal assistance is provided for survivors in proceedings 
    related to domestic violence and sexual assault, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 25, 2023

  Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following 
    bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To expand and improve the Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program to 
   ensure legal assistance is provided for survivors in proceedings 
    related to domestic violence and sexual assault, 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 ``Ensuring Representation for 
Survivors Act''.

SEC. 2. ENSURING ACCESS TO LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN PROCEEDINGS RELATED TO 
              DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.

    Section 1201 of the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 (34 U.S.C. 
20121) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g);
            (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
    ``(f) Grants to States To Ensure Access to Legal Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Amount.--In each fiscal year, the Attorney 
                General shall award to each State submitting an 
                application under paragraph (3) a grant in an amount 
                equal to .5 percent of the total amount appropriated 
                pursuant to subsection (g) for the fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Use.--A State that receives a grant under 
                subparagraph (A) shall use amounts from the grant to 
                provide legal assistance to survivors of domestic 
                violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual 
                assault, with the goal of every survivor of domestic 
                violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault 
                receiving legal assistance.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Amounts received by a State 
                under this subsection shall be distributed by the State 
                to public or private entities within the State to 
                implement, expand, and establish efforts and projects 
                to provide legal assistance, including pro bono 
                representation and legal advocacy, to help survivors of 
                domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual 
                assault--
                            ``(i) initiate or respond to motions to 
                        vacate or expunge a conviction, or similar 
                        actions, if the jurisdiction permits such a 
                        legal action based on a person's status as a 
                        crime victim; and
                            ``(ii) with other civil legal actions, 
                        other than tort actions, which are reasonably 
                        necessary as a direct result of the 
                        victimization, such as--
                                    ``(I) civil legal assistance with 
                                divorce, child custody, child welfare, 
                                and support proceedings with 
                                corresponding enforcement;
                                    ``(II) assistance with and 
                                representation at proceedings for 
                                protective orders, restraining orders, 
                                or other stay-away orders;
                                    ``(III) assistance with contract, 
                                housing, employment, education, 
                                healthcare, benefits, and privacy 
                                matters; and
                                    ``(IV) intervention with creditors, 
                                law enforcement officers, and other 
                                entities on behalf of survivors of 
                                identity theft and financial fraud.
                    ``(B) Eligibility.--A public or private entity 
                seeking distribution of amounts from a grant received 
                by a State under this subsection shall meet the 
                eligibility requirements described in subsection (d).
            ``(3) Application.--Each State seeking a grant under this 
        subsection shall submit an application to the Attorney General 
        at such time and in such manner as the Attorney General may 
        reasonably require.''; and
            (3) in subsection (g), as so redesignated, by striking 
        ``$57,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018'' and 
        inserting ``$80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 
        2028''.
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