VAWA Reauthorization Bill to be Considered by Rules Committee Today at 5PM

Here is the House Bill:

BILLS-112-HR4970RH

H.R. 4970, the VAWA reauthorization bill will be considered by the Rules Committee today at 5pm.  The hearing can be viewed at: http://rules.house.gov/Legislation/hearings_details.aspx?NewsID=834

Instead of the three tribal provisions in S. 1925 that would:

• Provide Indian tribes criminal jurisdiction over domestic violence, dating violence, and violations of protective orders that occur on Indian lands;
• Provide Indian courts civil jurisdiction to issue and enforce protection orders. Excludes Indian courts in Alaska from that jurisdiction, except with respect to the Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Islands Reserve.
• Amend the federal criminal code to increase the maximum federal penalties for assault convictions.

H.R. 4970 (above) instead includes section 905 that authorizes and encourages the Attorney General to appoint U.S. Attorney Tribal Liaisons in each judicial district that includes Indian Country to serve a domestic violence tribal liaison.  The duties of the tribal liaison include:

• Encouraging and assisting in arrests and Federal prosecution for crimes, including misdemeanor crimes, of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking that occur in Indian country.
• Conducting training sessions for tribal law enforcement officers and other individuals and entities responsible for responding to crimes in Indian country to ensure that such officers, individuals, and entities understand their arrest authority over non-Indian offenders.
• Developing multidisciplinary teams to combat domestic and sexual violence offenses against Indians by non-Indians.
• Consulting and coordinating with tribal justice officials and victims’ advocates to address any backlog in the prosecution of crimes, including misdemeanor crimes, of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking that occur in Indian country.
• Developing working relationships and maintaining communication with tribal leaders, tribal community and victims’ advocates, and tribal justice officials to gather information from, and share appropriate information with, tribal justice officials.