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S 328 115th Congress Senate Crime and Law Enforcement Civil actions and liability Constitution and constitutional amendments Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation Criminal procedure and sentencing Juvenile crime and gang violence Law enforcement administration and funding Lawyers and legal services Legal fees and court costs State and local courts

Equal Justice Under Law Act of 2017

Introduced: February 7, 2017 Introduced by: Booker, Cory A. Democratic · New Jersey See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 7, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 7, 2017
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Equal Justice Under Law Act of 2017

This bill states that an indigent individual facing criminal prosecution or juvenile delinquency in a state court is entitled to the effective assistance of counsel, as guaranteed by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments, at the state's expense.

It authorizes a federal class action lawsuit against a state for its systemic failure to guarantee the right to effective assistance of counsel. The assistance of counsel is ineffective when a class of individuals demonstrates that counsel's performance was not reasonable under prevailing professional norms.

Additionally, the bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to modify the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. Specifically, it requires a state or local government to consult with public defenders before distributing JAG funds to community organizations and local governments.

What's happening now February 7, 2017

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 968 Related bill Equal Justice Under Law Act of 2017
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 328: Equal Justice Under Law Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-328/
MLA
"S. 328: Equal Justice Under Law Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-328/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 328, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-328/.
Markdown link
[S. 328: Equal Justice Under Law Act of 2017](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-328/)
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