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H.R. 7134: Bend Toward Justice Act of 2020

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H.R. 7134: Bend Toward Justice Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-06-08 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2020-06-08 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. 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

Bend Toward Justice Act of 2020

Plain summary

Bend Toward Justice Act of 2020 This bill lowers the criminal intent standard—from willful to reckless—to convict a government official (including a law enforcement officer) for deprivation of rights while acting under color of law.

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

Bend Toward Justice Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4] · 29 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Hakeem S. Jeffries (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Grace Meng (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Mark Takano (D-CA), John B. Larson (D-CT), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL)

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

Record fed-us-cong116-hr7134 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116