{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Legislation","name":"Next Step Act of 2019","description":"

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.

","legislationIdentifier":"S 697","legislationType":"Bill","legislationLegalForce":"NotInForce","legislationJurisdiction":"USA","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cory A. Booker","url":"https://legisdaily.com/mp/corya-booker-us"}],"about":{"@type":"Thing","name":"Crime and Law Enforcement"},"keywords":"Administrative law and regulatory procedures, Administrative remedies, Child health, Child safety and welfare, Civil actions and liability, Congressional oversight, Correctional facilities and imprisonment, Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation, Criminal justice information and records, Criminal procedure and sentencing, Department of Defense, Detention of persons, Drug, alcohol, tobacco use, Drug trafficking and controlled substances, Emergency medical services and trauma care, Employee hiring, Employee performance, Employment and training programs, Employment discrimination and employee rights, Evidence and witnesses, Firearms and explosives, Food assistance and relief, General Services Administration, Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management, Government information and archives, Government studies and investigations, Health programs administration and funding, Health promotion and preventive care, Housing and community development funding, Intergovernmental relations, Judicial procedure and administration, Juvenile crime and gang violence, Law enforcement administration and funding, Law enforcement officers, Lawyers and legal services, Licensing and registrations, Mental health, Military procurement, research, weapons development, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Personnel records, Poverty and welfare assistance, Public contracts and procurement, Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination, State and local government operations, Trade restrictions, U.S. Sentencing Commission, Voting rights","dateModified":"2025-06-04T00:00:00.000Z","url":"https://legisdaily.com/bill/USA-116-S-697"}

Cory A. Booker

Judiciary Committee

Cory A. Booker

Judiciary Committee