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State Witness Protection Act of 2013

Introduced: May 8, 2013 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 8, 2013
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
May 8, 2013
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

State Witness Protection Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose criminal penalties on any person who kills, or attempts to kill, a witness in a state or local judicial proceeding, who uses physical force or the threat of force against such a witness, or who offers such witness anything of value with the intent to: (1) influence, delay, or prevent the testimony or attendance of such witness at a state or local judicial proceeding; (2) prevent the production of a record or document in a state or local judicial proceeding; (3) cause or induce any person to withhold testimony or evidence, destroy evidence, evade legal process, or be absent from a state or local judicial proceeding; (4) hinder, delay, or prevent any person from providing information to a state or local law enforcement officer or judge; or (5) retaliate against any person for attending a state or local judicial proceeding or providing information to a law enforcement officer.

Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend guidelines to increase the sentencing range for obstruction of justice if such crime involved threatening, harming, or bribing a witness or the destruction of evidence.

Directs the Attorney General to make competitive grants to eligible state, tribal, and local governments to establish or maintain programs that provide: (1) protection or assistance to witnesses in court proceedings involving homicide, a serious violent felony or drug offense, gangs, or organized crime; and (2) information and outreach to the public about witness intimidation. Sets forth criteria by which the Attorney General shall evaluate applicants, including the extent to which: (1) an applicant has a lack of infrastructure to support a witness assistance program, and (2) witness intimidation is present with respect to the applicant.

What's happening now May 8, 2013

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1