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Next Step Act of 2019

Introduced: March 26, 2019 Introduced by: Watson Coleman, Bonnie Democratic · New Jersey See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 8, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Apr 3, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
Mar 28, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States.
Mar 27, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 26, 2019
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Agriculture, Natural Resources, Oversight and Reform, House Administration, Armed Services, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, 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.
Mar 26, 2019
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Next Step Act of 2019

This bill revises sentencing guidelines, addresses prison conditions and prisoner reentry, and addresses law enforcement training.

First, it eliminates increased and mandatory minimum penalties for drug offenses involving mixtures or substances which contain cocaine base (i.e., crack cocaine).

It decriminalizes marijuana by (1) removing marijuana from the list of scheduled substances; (2) eliminating criminal penalties for an individual who imports, exports, manufactures, distributes, or possesses with intent to distribute marijuana; and (3) expunging convictions for marijuana use or possession.

It reduces the mandatory minimum prison term for defendants who manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Additionally, the bill

  • requires the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide videoconferencing free of charge to prisoners;
  • prohibits federal agencies from requesting that applicants disclose their criminal history before receiving a conditional offer of employment;
  • restricts the use of criminal records to disqualify individuals from employment, occupational licensing, or occupational certification;
  • creates a mechanism by which certain eligible individuals may file a petition to seal federal criminal records for certain nonviolent offenses;
  • reinstates the right to vote in federal elections for persons convicted of criminal offenses;
  • revises requirements for the BOP to help prisoners obtain identification documents prior to their release;
  • establishes and revises certain grants;
  • requires a state or tribe that receives certain funding to report on use-of-force incidents involving a law enforcement officer and a civilian; and
  • prohibits racial profiling by law enforcement.
What's happening now April 8, 2019

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

 Committees of jurisdiction 14
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Democratic 3