,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #eig  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #ah1 #bjac   
,mr4 ,leahy introduced the following    
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a 
,,bill  ,to ensure the effective        
administration of criminal justice4  #a4
 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,gideon's ,promise ,act4  #b4      
,effective administration of criminal   
justice  7a7 ,strategic planning        
,section #ejb of title ,i of the        
,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe      
,streets ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#cgeb7 is amended--  7#a7 by inserting  
7a7 ,in ,general4-- before ,to request a
 grant2 and  7#b7 by adding at the end  
the following3  7#f7 ,a comprehensive   
,state-wide plan detailing how grants   
received under this section will be used
 to improve the administration of the   
criminal justice system1 which shall--  
7,a7 be designed in consultation with   
local governments1 and all segments of  

the criminal justice system1 including  
judges1 prosecutors1 law enforcement    
personnel1 corrections personnel1 and   
providers of indigent defense services1 
victim services1 juvenile justice       
delinquency prevention programs1        
community corrections1 and reentry      
services2  7,b7 include a description of
 how the ,state will allocate funding   
within and among each of the uses       
described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 
7,g7 of section #eja7;a77#a72  7,c7     
describe the process used by the ,state 
for gathering evidence-based data and   
developing and using evidence-based and 
evidence-gathering approaches in support
 of funding decisions2 and  7,d7 be     
updated every #e years1 with annual     
progress reports that--  7i7 address    
changing circumstances in the ,state1 if
 any2  7ii7 describe how the ,state     
plans to adjust funding within and among
 each of the uses described in          
subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,g7 of      
section #eja7;a77#a72  7iii7 provide an 

ongoing assessment of need2  7iv7       
discuss the accomplishment of goals     
identified in any plan previously       
prepared under this paragraph2 and  7v7 
reflect how the plan influenced funding 
decisions in the previous year4  7b7    
,technical assistance  7#a7 ,strategic  
planning ,not later than #ij days after 
the date of enactment of this           
subsection1 the ,attorney ,general shall
 begin to provide technical assistance  
to ,states and local governments        
requesting support to develop and       
implement the strategic plan required   
under subsection 7a77#f74  7#b7         
,protection of constitutional rights    
,not later than #ij days after the date 
of enactment of this subsection1 the    
,attorney ,general shall begin to       
provide technical assistance to ,states 
and local governments1 including any    
agent thereof with responsibility for   
administration of justice1 requesting   
support to meet the obligations         
established by the ,sixth ,amendment to 

the ,constitution of the ,united        
,states1 which shall include--  7,a7    
public dissemination of practices1      
structures1 or models for the           
administration of justice consistent    
with the requirements of the ,sixth     
,amendment2 and  7,b7 assistance with   
adopting and implementing a system for  
the administration of justice consistent
 with the requirements of the ,sixth    
,amendment4  7#c7 ,authorization of     
appropriations ,there is authorized to  
be appropriated #e1jjj1jjj for each of  
fiscal years #bjad through #bjah to     
carry out this subsection4  4  7b7      
,protection of constitutional rights    
7#a7 ,unlawful conduct ,it shall be     
unlawful for any governmental authority1
 or any agent thereof1 or any person    
acting on behalf of a governmental      
authority1 to engage in a pattern or    
practice of conduct by officials or     
employees of any governmental agency    
with responsibility for the             
administration of justice1 including the

 administration of programs or services 
that provide appointed counsel to       
indigent defendants1 that deprives      
persons of their rights to assistance of
 counsel as protected under the ,sixth  
,amendment and ,fourteenth ,amendment to
 the ,constitution of the ,united       
,states4  7#b7 ,civil action by         
,attorney ,general ,whenever the        
,attorney ,general has reasonable cause 
to believe that a violation of paragraph
 7#a7 has occurred1 the ,attorney       
,general1 for or in the name of the     
,united ,states1 may1 in a civil action1
 obtain appropriate equitable and       
declaratory relief to eliminate the     
pattern or practice4  7#c7 ,effective   
date ,paragraph 7#b7 shall take effect  
#b years after the date of enactment of 
this ,act4