H.R. 4368: Justice in Forensic Algorithms Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-09-17 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-09-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Justice in Forensic Algorithms Act of 2019

Plain summary

Justice in Forensic Algorithms Act of 2019 This bill establishes federal standards and procedures for the use of computational forensic software. ( Computational forensic software refers to software that relies on an automated or semiautomated computational process to process, analyze, or interpret evidence.) It also prohibits the use of trade secret protections to prevent criminal defendants from accessing evidence. First, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) must establish the Computational Forensic Algorithm Standards for the development and use of computational forensic software. These standards must, among other things, address requirements related to software testing and reporting to criminal defendants on the use and results of software in their cases. Further, NIST must establish the Computational Forensic Algorithm Testing Program. The testing program must, among other things, test individual software programs using NIST standards. Federal law enforcement agencies and related crime laboratories must comply with these NIST standards and testing requirements in their use of computational forensic software. In addition, criminal defendants must receive information resulting from analysis by computational forensic software, including access to the software for testing purposes. Evidence resulting from computational forensic software is only admissible in a criminal case if (1) the software was submitted to the NIST testing program, and (2) the software developers and users waive their legal claims against the defense for the purposes of the defense analyzing or testing such software. The bill also prohibits the use of trade secret protections when a criminal defendant would otherwise be entitled to obtain evidence.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Justice in Forensic Algorithms Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Dwight Evans (D-PA), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41] reported raising $1.1 million (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)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr4368.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr4368 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116