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HR 2959 105th Congress House Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Civil procedure Compensation for victims of crime Crime and Law Enforcement Damages Disabled Discrimination against the disabled District courts Ethnic relations Evidence (Law) Government Operations and Politics Hate crimes Injunctions Law Legal fees Punitive damages Racial discrimination Sex discrimination State courts Victims of crimes

Bias Crimes Compensation Act of 1997

Introduced: November 8, 1997 Introduced by: Nadler, Jerrold Democratic · New York See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 19, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
Nov 8, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Nov 8, 1997
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Bias Crimes Compensation Act of 1997 - Declares that all individuals within the United States, and its special maritime and territorial jurisdiction, shall have the right to be free from bias-motivated crimes of violence.

Makes any person, including one who acts under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of any State, who deprives an individual of such right, liable to the individual injured, in a civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction, for compensatory damages of not less than $100,000, punitive damages, injunctive relief, declaratory relief, or any combination thereof.

Specifies that nothing in this Act: (1) entitles an individual to a claim herein for random acts of violence unrelated to bias or for acts that cannot be demonstrated, by a preponderance of the evidence, to be bias-motivated crimes of violence; and (2) requires a prior criminal complaint, prosecution, or conviction to establish the necessary elements of such a claim.

Grants the Federal and State courts concurrent jurisdiction over actions brought under this Act.

Prohibits a civil action in State court arising under this Act from being removed to U.S. district court.

Authorizes the court to award attorney's fees to the prevailing party in cases brought under this Act, subject to specified limitations.

What's happening now December 19, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2