Epstein Crime Victims Act in plain language
1: Short title
This section would allow the Act to be cited as the "Epstein Crime Victims Act."
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Epstein Crime Victims Act .
2: Enforcement of crime victims rights
This section would amend section 3771 of title 18, United States Code, the law listing the rights of crime victims. It would expand the types of agreements the government must notify a victim about in a timely manner under subsection (a)(9): the current requirement to notify a victim of a plea bargain or a deferred prosecution agreement would also cover a nonprosecution agreement. It would also change subsection (d)(6), which currently begins by stating that nothing in the chapter does something, so that this rule would instead apply except as provided in a new paragraph (7), carving out an exception for the new right described below. It would add that new paragraph (7) to subsection (d): if the government enters a plea bargain or a deferred prosecution agreement and fails to notify the victim of it in a timely manner as subsection (a)(9) requires, the victim would be allowed to bring an action against the government in an appropriate United States district court to enforce any remaining rights that apply to the victim under subsection (a). This new right to sue is tied specifically to a failure to notify about a plea bargain or a deferred prosecution agreement; the text does not extend this particular right to sue to a failure to notify about a nonprosecution agreement.
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2. Enforcement of crime victims rights Section 3771 of title 18, United States Code is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(9), by striking plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement and inserting plea bargain, deferred prosecution agreement, or nonprosecution agreement ; and (2) in subsection (d)— (A) in paragraph (6), by striking Nothing in this chapter and inserting Except as provided in paragraph (7), nothing in this chapter ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (7) Right of action in the case of failure to notify victim If the Government enters a plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement and fails to notify the victim in a timely manner, as required under subsection (a)(9), the victim shall be permitted to bring an action in an appropriate district court of the United States against the Government to enforce any remaining applicable rights under subsection (a). .