HR 912 IH

107th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 912

To reduce the risk that innocent persons may be executed, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 7, 2001

Mr. DELAHUNT (for himself, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. BASS, Mr. SCOTT, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. BALDACCI, Ms. HART, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. HOUGHTON, Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin, Mr. KING, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. BERMAN, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. PETRI, Mr. BONIOR, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. QUINN, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. SCARBOROUGH, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. SHAYS, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. CLAY, Mr. UPTON, Mr. COYNE, Mr. WALSH, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. EVANS, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FORD, Mr. FRANK, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HILLIARD, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. HOEFFEL, Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. KIND, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. LAFALCE, Mr. LAMPSON, Mr. LANTOS, Ms. LEE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. LUTHER, Mr. MARKEY, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, MS. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. MCNULTY, Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. MOAKLEY, Mr. MOORE, Mr. NADLER, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. NORTON, Mr. OLVER, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Ms. RIVERS, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. ROEMER, Ms. SANCHEZ, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. SAWYER, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SHERMAN, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. STARK, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. TIERNEY, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Ms. VELAZQUEZ, Ms. WATERS, Mr. WATT of North Carolina, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. WEINER, Mr. WEXLER, and Mr. WYNN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary


A BILL

To reduce the risk that innocent persons may be executed, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

TITLE I--EXONERATING THE INNOCENT THROUGH DNA TESTING

TITLE II--ENSURING COMPETENT LEGAL SERVICES IN CAPITAL CASES

TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

TITLE I--EXONERATING THE INNOCENT THROUGH DNA TESTING

SEC. 101. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

passed legislation requiring that biological evidence be adequately preserved.

SEC. 102. POST-CONVICTION DNA TESTING IN FEDERAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

`CHAPTER 156--DNA TESTING

`Sec.

`Sec. 2291. DNA testing

justice, rather than to support a claim described in paragraph (1)(D).

`Sec. 2292. Preservation of evidence

the imposition of a civil penalty under subparagraph (A) in the same manner as such provisions apply to the imposition of a penalty under section 405.

`Sec. 1519. Destruction or altering of DNA evidence

2291'.

SEC. 103. POST-CONVICTION DNA TESTING IN STATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS.

SEC. 104. PROHIBITION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT.

a district court of the United States, naming an executive or judicial officer of the State as defendant.

SEC. 105. GRANTS TO PROSECUTORS FOR DNA TESTING PROGRAMS.

TITLE II--ENSURING COMPETENT LEGAL SERVICES IN CAPITAL CASES

SEC. 201. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CAPITAL REPRESENTATION.

SEC. 202. CAPITAL DEFENSE INCENTIVE GRANTS.

`SEC. 207A. CAPITAL DEFENSE INCENTIVE GRANTS.

to a sentence of death or in which a death sentence has been imposed; and

SEC. 203. AMENDMENTS TO PRISON GRANT PROGRAMS.

`SEC. 20110. STANDARDS FOR CAPITAL REPRESENTATION.

SEC. 204. EFFECT ON PROCEDURAL DEFAULT RULES.

SEC. 205. CAPITAL DEFENSE RESOURCE GRANTS.

TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 301. INCREASED COMPENSATION IN FEDERAL CASES.

SEC. 302. COMPENSATION IN STATE DEATH PENALTY CASES.

SEC. 303. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT IN FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY PROSECUTIONS.

`Sec. 3599. Certification requirement

SEC. 304. ALTERNATIVE OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT WITHOUT POSSIBILITY OF RELEASE.

SEC. 305. RIGHT TO AN INFORMED JURY.

SEC. 306. ANNUAL REPORTS.

SEC. 307. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE EXECUTION OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS AND THE MENTALLY RETARDED.

END