Latest action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S8737)
Referred to one or more standing committees for review, hearings, and possible markup.
Specific committees not parsed from action data.
The committee may hold hearings, amend the bill, or let it die without action.
Next: Reported
Full chamber floor — Speaker / Majority Leader controls scheduling
Prevents judges from considering a defendant's acquitted conduct when deciding sentences.
The problem
Courts sometimes consider conduct for which defendants were acquitted when determining sentences, raising concerns about fairness and double punishment for acts jurors found not guilty.
The proposal
Amends federal law to explicitly prohibit judges from considering acquitted conduct during sentencing in federal criminal cases.
The impact
Affects federal defendants at sentencing, judges' discretion, and prosecutors' ability to reference acquitted charges when recommending sentences.
Prevents defendants from being penalized for conduct they were found not guilty of. Respects jury verdicts by ensuring acquittals have real consequences. Strengthens the principle that people should not be punished twice for the same conduct.
Creates clearer, more consistent rules for what judges can consider. Reduces judges' ability to use acquitted conduct as a backdoor way to punish behavior juries rejected. Makes the sentencing process more predictable and transparent.
Aligns sentencing practices with constitutional protections against unjust punishment. Ensures defendants cannot be harmed by facts juries specifically rejected. Protects defendants' right to fair treatment under the law.
Prevents judges from making subjective decisions based on conduct that was not proven beyond reasonable doubt. Creates a clearer standard that protects defendants from unpredictable sentencing outcomes.
Judges often use acquitted conduct to understand a defendant's full background and pattern of behavior. Restricting this information could prevent judges from having complete context for sentencing decisions. May result in sentences that judges believe do not match the actual situation.
Prosecutors often present evidence of conduct during trial, and it may influence judges even if juries acquit on those charges. This bill prevents prosecutors from explicitly referencing such conduct at sentencing. May reduce prosecutors' ability to ensure appropriate consequences for criminal activity.
The bill only affects federal sentences, not state courts where most criminal cases occur. Creates inconsistency across the country in how acquitted conduct is handled. Federal defendants receive protections state defendants may not have.
Judges must already know about acquitted conduct to avoid considering it, but distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information can be difficult. May lead to appeals and litigation about whether judges improperly considered acquitted conduct. Could increase court workload through appeals.
Generated by AI from the bill text. Not a prediction and not legal or policy advice. The percentage is the model's own rating of each item — self-reported, and not a measure of how accurate it is.
Loading map…
Loading...
0 citizens have already voted
Free · No spam · See how your representatives voted
Be the first to weigh in
Your vote starts the conversation
How citizen engagement works
Citizens vote & comment
Public opinion data is aggregated and updated in real time.
Patterns become visible
Representatives can see constituent sentiment broken down by district.
Your voice on the record
Contact your rep directly — one constituent call can shift a staffer's priority list.
Research shows that constituent contacts — especially calls — are among the most effective ways to influence a legislator's position on active bills.
Other bills in this policy area
HR 4307
Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act
HR 10638
Skills Against Violence Act of 2026
HR 10565
Sexual Abuse Services in Detention Act
HR 10543
PREP Act
Individual contributions, grouped by employer · FEC
Where their individual donors work · 2026 cycle
Money from people who work there, not from the company. Not tied to this bill.
Itemized individual contributions via FEC, grouped by the employer each contributor self-reported. Companies and unions cannot contribute to federal candidates from their treasuries, so these totals are money from people who work at an employer — never from the organization itself. They are campaign contributions covering a full election cycle and are not connected to this bill.
Senate LDA lobbying disclosures
Couldn't load lobbying disclosures right now.