ERPA
Latest action. Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: continuing resolutionA stopgap law funding the government at existing levels when the annual appropriations bills are not done by October 1.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) S13805-13808)
End Racial Profiling Act of 2005 or ERPA - Prohibits any law enforcement agent or agency from engaging in racial profiling. Authorizes the United States or an individual injured by racial profiling to bring a civil action for declaratory or injunctive relief in state court or U.S. district court. Makes proof that the routine or spontaneous investigatory activities of law enforcement agents in a jurisdiction have had a disparate impact on racial, ethnic, or religious minorities prima facie evidence of a violation. Authorizes the court to allow a prevailing plaintiff attorney's fees under specified circumstances.
Directs federal law enforcement agencies to: (1) cease practices that permit racial profiling; and (2) maintain policies and procedures to eliminate racial profiling.
Requires applications for funding under the Byrne or Cops on the Beat program to include a certification that the applicant: (1) maintains adequate policies and procedures designed to eliminate racial profiling; and (2) does not engage in any practices that permit racial profiling.
Requires applicants to establish an administrative complaint procedure or independent auditor program. Directs the Attorney General to carry out a demonstration project to collect data on hit rates for stops and searches.
Authorizes the Attorney General, through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, to make grants to develop and implement best practice devices and systems to eliminate racial profiling.
Directs the Attorney General to report to Congress annually on racial profiling by law enforcement agencies.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on December 16, 2005. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on December 16, 2005: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S13805-13808)
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 109th Congress (2005-06), 482 of the 10,701 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.5 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
RUSSELL FEINGOLD (D-WI) introduced it on December 16, 2005, and 12 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They are 12 Democrats.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on December 16, 2005, 7573 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 7573 days ago, on December 16, 2005.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 109th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2007 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIntroduced, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers