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H.R. 2063: National Center for the Right to Counsel Act

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H.R. 2063: National Center for the Right to Counsel Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-04-28 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2015-04-28 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Deutch, Theodore E. [D-FL-21] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. 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

National Center for the Right to Counsel Act

Plain summary

National Center for the Right to Counsel Act Establishes in the District of Columbia a private, nonprofit corporation to be known as the National Center for the Right to Counsel to provide: (1) financial support to supplement, but not supplant, funding for public defense systems that provide legal assistance to indigent defendants in criminal cases, including systems run by state or local governments as well as private entities or individuals providing services under contract with such governments; and (2) financial and substantive support for training programs to improve delivery of legal services to indigent defendants. Requires each state to have a state advisory council to: (1) monitor, receive, and investigate complaints regarding the compliance of public defense systems that receive funding with applicable laws and regulations; (2) notify the Center of any apparent violations; and (3) collect data on the delivery of public defense services and facilitate information sharing between the state's public defense systems. Authorizes the Center to: (1) make grants and contracts; (2) undertake research, training, and technical assistance; and (3) serve as a clearinghouse for information. Prohibits the Center from interfering with attorneys' professional responsibilities to their clients or from abrogating the authority of states or other jurisdictions to enforce such standards. Requires the Center, to the extent feasible, to have services provided in an indigent defendant's principal language in areas where significant numbers of indigent defendants speak a language other than English. Directs the Center to make available to the public an online database that includes the contact information for all public defense systems in every state. Requires the Center to establish regional backup service centers to assist public defense systems with access to investigators, sentencing mitigation specialists, and information about available grants.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

National Center for the Right to Counsel Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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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. Deutch, Theodore E. [D-FL-21] · 25 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mike Quigley (D-IL), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Judy Chu (D-CA), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Smith (D-WA)

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)
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-hr2063 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114