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H.R. 3971: Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2008

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H.R. 3971: Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2007-10-25 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1087.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2007-10-25 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1087. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2008

Plain summary

Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2008 - Requires states that receive criminal justice assistance grants under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to report to the Attorney General on a quarterly basis information on the death of any person who is detained, under arrest, or incarcerated in a municipal or county jail, state prison, state-run boot camp, contract facility, or other state or local correctional facility (including any juvenile facility). Requires such information to include: (1) the name, gender, race, ethnicity, and age of the deceased; (2) the date, time, and location of death; (3) the law enforcement agency that detained or arrested the deceased; and (4) a description of the circumstances surrounding the death. Grants states 120 days from the enactment of this Act to comply with such reporting requirements. Permits the Attorney General to grant additional time to states to comply with reporting requirements and to waive such requirements in states where compliance would be unconstitutional. Grants the Attorney General discretion to reduce by up to 10% the amount of the criminal justice assistance grants of states that fail to comply with the reporting requirements of this Act. Requires the Attorney General to collect information and provide for a study on the deaths of persons held in custody and to report to Congress on the findings within two years after the enactment of this Act. Authorizes appropriations.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3971, Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2007 (2008-01-14); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3971, Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2007 (2008-01-14); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3971, Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2008 (2008-10-02); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3971, Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2008 (2008-10-02)

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] reported raising $882,179 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr3971 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110