Denial of Rights Prevention and Accountability Act of 2020

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7131 To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit deprivation of rights under color of law by law enforcement and correctional officers, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 8, 2020 Mr. ESPAILLAT (for himself and Ms. NORTON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit depriva- tion of rights under color of law by law enforcement and correctional officers, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Denial of Rights Pre- 4 vention and Accountability Act of 2020’’. 5 SEC. 2. DEPRIVATION OF RIGHTS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. 6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 13 of title 18, United 7 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 242 the 8 following: 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:04 Jun 28, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7131.IH H7131 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7131 IH ‘‘§ 242A. Deprivation of rights by law enforcement 1 ‘‘Whoever, being a law enforcement officer or correc- 2 tional officer, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, 3 regulation, or custom, recklessly subjects any person in 4 any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or Dis- 5 trict to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immu- 6 nities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of 7 the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or 8 penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or 9 by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for 10 the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title 11 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bod- 12 ily injury results from the acts committed in violation of 13 this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, 14 or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or 15 fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more 16 than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts 17 committed in violation of this section or if such acts in- 18 clude kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sex- 19 ual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual 20 abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, 21 or imprisoned for any term of years, or both.’’. 22 (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 23 The table of sections for chapter 13 of title 18, United 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:04 Jun 28, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7131.IH H7131 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7131 IH States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat- 1 ing to section 242 the following: 2 ‘‘242A. Deprivation of rights by law enforcement.’’. Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:04 Jun 28, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7131.IH H7131 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS