Congress 117 - HR 4194 - The People’s Response Act

Sponsor

Cosponsors

Topics

Advisory bodies Agricultural marketing and promotion Child health Child safety and welfare Community life and organization Crime and Law Enforcement Crime prevention Crime victims Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation Department of Health and Human Services Detention of persons Disability and health-based discrimination Domestic violence and child abuse Drug, alcohol, tobacco use Education programs funding Elementary and secondary education Emergency communications systems Emergency medical services and trauma care Environmental health Evidence and witnesses Executive agency funding and structure Family services First responders and emergency personnel Food industry and services Government studies and investigations Hazardous wastes and toxic substances Health care coverage and access Health personnel Health programs administration and funding Homelessness and emergency shelter Housing and community development funding Housing supply and affordability Immigration status and procedures Infectious and parasitic diseases Infrastructure development Law enforcement administration and funding Mental health Nutrition and diet Racial and ethnic relations Sex offenses Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations Telephone and wireless communication Violent crime

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Votes

Summary

The People's Response Act

This bill establishes multiple grant programs and requirements to promote qualified approaches to community safety. These are programs or services that are disconnected from carceral institutions (e.g., law enforcement, child welfare services, and immigration enforcement).

Specifically, the bill establishes the Division of Community Safety within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to administer the grants and carry out related activities. These include grants for community-based organizations to support qualified approaches to community safety, such as

unarmed first responder agencies and 9-1-1 diversion programs;
neighborhood-level interventions, including safe passage to school and violence interruption programs;
behavioral health treatment, nutrition support, and other public health programs;
housing security programs; and
programs for youth and families, survivors of violence, and individuals exiting incarceration or criminal supervision.

Additionally, the division must administer grants pertaining to qualified approaches for community safety for state and local governments and hiring and training first responders.

The bill also establishes an advisory board to oversee the division's activities. Membership on the board must reflect the racial, ethnic, and other demographic diversities of the United States. The board must also include members who have personal experience with the criminal justice system.

Furthermore, HHS must set up (1) a federal health response unit to respond to any public health emergency, assist with qualified approaches to community safety, and provide resources for safe and inclusive schools; and (2) an interagency task force to promote qualified approaches to community safety across federal programs.

Actions

Nov 1, 2022

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Jun 29, 2021

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jun 28, 2021

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Jun 28, 2021

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jun 28, 2021

Introduced in House

Amendments

Related Bills