Bill Summary
The "Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act of 2025" aims to enhance accountability and transparency within prosecutor's offices across certain jurisdictions in the United States. Specifically, it mandates that district attorneys from qualifying local governments (those with populations over 360,000 that receive federal funding) must submit annual reports to the Attorney General detailing their handling of specific serious crimes, referred to as "covered offenses." These include crimes such as murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and offenses involving firearms.
The reports must include data on the number of cases referred for prosecution, those declined for prosecution, and details regarding any plea agreements or diversion referrals. Additionally, the legislation requires the Attorney General to establish uniform reporting standards and to prioritize funding for compliant jurisdictions. It also stipulates that jurisdictions with a policy against cash bail for firearm-related offenses will not receive federal funds. This legislation seeks to ensure that prosecutors are actively engaging with serious crimes and provides oversight on their decision-making processes.
Possible Impacts
The "Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act of 2025" could affect people in the following ways:
1. **Increased Accountability for Prosecutors**: The legislation mandates that prosecutors in jurisdictions with populations over 360,000 report their decisions on prosecuting specific serious offenses. This could lead to greater accountability, as prosecutors will be required to justify their choices regarding which cases to pursue or decline. As a result, communities might see a shift in how serious crimes are handled, potentially leading to more robust prosecution of violent crimes.
2. **Impact on Local Government Funding**: Prosecutors that comply with the reporting requirements may receive priority for federal funds. This could lead to a better-resourced district attorney’s office, which might improve the overall effectiveness of the criminal justice system in prosecuting serious offenses. Conversely, local governments with prosecutors who do not comply could face budgetary constraints, affecting the resources available for law enforcement and other community services.
3. **Changes in Bail Policies**: The provision that prohibits funding to states or local governments that do not allow cash bail for certain firearm-related offenses could lead to significant changes in bail policies. This could affect defendants' ability to secure release before trial, potentially leading to longer pretrial detentions. The implications of this could be far-reaching, impacting not just those charged with crimes, but also their families and communities, as pretrial detention can lead to job loss and destabilization of social networks.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 234 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 234
To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to
direct certain prosecutor's offices to annually report to the Attorney
General, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 23, 2025
Mr. Kennedy (for himself and Mr. Cruz) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to
direct certain prosecutor's offices to annually report to the Attorney
General, 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 ``Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND PROSECUTOR REPORTS.
Section 501 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10151) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (g) and (h) as subsections
(h) and (i), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
``(f) District Attorney Reporting Requirements.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Covered offense.--The term `covered offense'
means any of the following:
``(i) Murder or non-negligent manslaughter.
``(ii) Forcible rape.
``(iii) Robbery.
``(iv) Aggravated assault.
``(v) Burglary.
``(vi) Larceny.
``(vii) Motor vehicle theft.
``(viii) Arson.
``(ix) Any offense involving the illegal
use of a firearm.
``(x) Any offense involving the illegal
possession of a firearm.
``(B) Covered prosecutor.--The term `covered
prosecutor' means the chief executive of a district
attorney or prosecutor's office that serves a local
government--
``(i) the population of the jurisdiction of
which is not less than 360,000 individuals; and
``(ii) that receives funds under this part.
``(2) Reporting requirement.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of the Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act
of 2025, and annually thereafter, a covered prosecutor shall
submit to the Attorney General a report that contains, for the
previous fiscal year, the following:
``(A) The total number of cases referred to the
covered prosecutor for prosecution of a covered
offense.
``(B) The number of cases involving a covered
offense--
``(i) that the covered prosecutor declined
to prosecute or refer for diversion; or
``(ii) for which the covered prosecutor
declined to reach a plea agreement.
``(C) For cases involving a covered offense that
result in a plea agreement or referral for diversion
reached with the defendant, the number of cases for
which the defendant--
``(i) was previously arrested for a covered
offense arising out of a separate conviction;
``(ii) was previously convicted for a
covered offense arising out of a separate
conviction;
``(iii) is involved in an open case
involving a covered offense arising out of
separate conduct;
``(iv) is serving a term of probation for a
conviction for a covered offense arising out of
separate conduct; and
``(v) was released on parole for a
conviction for a covered offense arising out of
separate conduct.
``(D) The number of covered offenses that the
covered prosecutor does not prosecute as a result of an
internal policy against prosecuting specific criminal
offenses, including--
``(i) each covered offense captured in the
internal policy; and
``(ii) each criminal offense that is not
captured in the internal policy.
``(3) Compliance.--With respect to a covered prosecutor
that complies with the requirement under paragraph (2)--
``(A) the Attorney General shall give priority in
disbursing funds under this part to the local
government served by the covered prosecutor; and
``(B) the local government described in
subparagraph (A) shall ensure that the covered
prosecutor receives a portion of the funds received
under this part.
``(4) Uniform standards.--The Attorney General shall
establish uniform standards for the reporting of the
information required under this subsection, including the form
such reports shall take and the process by which such reports
shall be shared with the Attorney General.
``(5) Submission to judiciary committees.--The Attorney
General shall--
``(A) submit the information received under this
subsection to the Committee on the Judiciary of the
Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House
of Representatives; and
``(B) publish such information on a publicly
viewable website.''.
SEC. 3. BYRNE-JAG FUNDS AND ELIMINATION OF CASH BAIL.
The Attorney General shall not distribute amounts under subpart I
of part E of title 1 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act
of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10151 et seq.) to a State or local government that
has in effect a policy that prohibits the use of cash bail for a
defendant in a case involving the illegal use or illegal possession of
a firearm.
<all>