VICTIM Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8746
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-16T06:03:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 8746: Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods Act of 2026 (VICTIM Act of 2026)
Purpose
This legislation directs the Attorney General to create a grant program aimed at helping state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies improve their ability to solve homicides and firearm-related violent crimes. The focus is on enhancing clearance rates through better investigative methods, technology, training, and support for victims.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program Establishment: The Attorney General must set up the program within the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within 180 days of enactment. Grants support activities specifically designed to raise clearance rates for homicides and firearm-related violent crimes.
- Definitions: The bill defines key terms, including:
- "Clearance by arrest" (involves arrest, charging, and referral for prosecution).
- "Clearance by exception" (suspect identified with sufficient evidence but external factors prevent arrest).
- "Clearance rate" (ratio of cleared offenses to total reported offenses).
- "Eligible entity" (state, tribal, or local law enforcement agencies or groups of agencies).
- Eligible Uses of Funds: Grants may fund a range of activities, such as:
- Hiring and training personnel for investigations, evidence processing, and forensic analysis.
- Acquiring or upgrading technology and equipment.
- Developing evidence-based programs and policies for better internal cooperation and community relations.
- Providing support services for victims and families (e.g., emergency aid, trauma-informed training).
- Analyzing crime trends and ensuring civil rights protections in evidence handling.
- Application and Selection: Applicants submit plans focused on improving clearance rates. The Attorney General must prioritize rural and urban distribution and streamline applications to take no more than two hours.
- Reporting Requirements: Grant recipients submit annual reports on personnel hired, training, technology acquired, clearance data (including by race, sex, and age), and victim services used.
- Oversight and Audits: The Department of Justice Inspector General conducts audits to prevent misuse of funds, with mandatory exclusion for unresolved findings. The National Institute of Justice evaluates program effectiveness every two years.
- Funding: Authorizes $60 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, with at least 5% reserved for tribal entities and 5% for rural agencies.
- Other Rules: Funds supplement rather than replace existing resources. Hiring must include checks for prior disciplinary records.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new federal grant program focused on violent crime clearance. It does not amend prior statutes but establishes fresh requirements for grant administration, data reporting, civil rights safeguards, and evaluations within the Department of Justice.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases administrative workload for the Department of Justice through grant management, audits, and evaluations. Law enforcement agencies gain resources for technology and staffing but must comply with detailed reporting and oversight.
- On Citizens: May improve outcomes for victims of violent crimes through enhanced services and faster resolutions. Requires collection of demographic data on victims and suspects.
- On International Relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies (primary recipients of grants).
- The Department of Justice (including COPS office, Inspector General, and National Institute of Justice).
- Victims of homicides and firearm-related crimes and their families (through support services).
- Congress (oversight and appropriations role).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The legislation emphasizes protections for civil rights and civil liberties in evidence collection and technology use, including internal policies to prevent violations. It mandates trauma-informed approaches and language/disability access for victims. No explicit constitutional concerns are addressed in the bill, though the focus on data collection by race, sex, and age could raise privacy considerations in implementation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-05-12: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-12: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods Act of 2026 — issued 2026-05-12 — PDF (18 pages)