,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aiei  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #be1     
#bjai ,mr4 ,sullivan 7for himself and   
,ms4 ,harris7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a 
,,bill  ,to expand and improve the      
,legal ,assistance for ,victims ,grant  
,program to ensure legal assistance is  
provided for survivors in proceedings   
related to domestic violence and sexual 
assault1 and for other purposes4  #a4   
,short title  ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,ensuring ,representation for      
,survivors ,act4  #b4 ,ensuring access  
to legal assistance in proceedings      
related to domestic violence and sexual 
assault ,section #abja of the ,violence 
,against ,women ,act of #bjjj 7#cd      
,u4,s4,c4 #bjaba7 is amended-- 7#a7 by  
redesignating subsection 7f7 as         
subsection 7g72  7#b7 by inserting after
 subsection 7e7 the following3  7f7     
,grants to ,states ,to ensure access to 

legal assistance  7#a7 ,in general ,in  
each fiscal year1 the ,attorney ,general
 shall award to each ,state submitting  
an application under paragraph 7#c7 a   
grant in an amount equal to 4#e percent 
of the total amount appropriated under  
subsection 7g7 for the fiscal year1 to  
be used to provide legal assistance to  
survivors of domestic violence1 dating  
violence1 stalking1 and sexual assault1 
with the goal of all survivors of       
domestic violence1 dating violence1     
stalking1 and sexual assault receiving  
legal assistance4  7#b7 ,use of funds   
7,a7 ,in general ,any funds received by 
a ,state under this subsection shall be 
distributed by the ,state to public or  
private entities within the ,state to   
implement1 expand1 and establish efforts
 and projects to provide legal          
assistance1 including pro bono          
representation and legal advocacy1 to   
help survivors of domestic violence1    
dating violence1 stalking1 or sexual    
assault--  7i7 assert their rights as   

victims in a criminal proceeding1 other 
than prosecution1 directly related to   
the victimization1 or otherwise protect 
their safety1 privacy1 or other         
interests as victims in such            
proceedings2  7ii7 initiate or respond  
to motions to vacate or expunge a       
conviction1 or similar actions1 where   
the jurisdiction permits such a legal   
action based on a person's being a crime
 victim2 and  7iii7 other legal actions1
 other than tort actions1 which1 in the 
civil context1 are reasonably necessary 
as a direct result of the victimization1
 such as--  7,i7 civil legal assistance 
with divorce1 child custody1 child      
welfare1 and support proceedings with   
corresponding enforcement2  7,,ii7      
assistance with and representation at   
proceedings for protective orders1      
restraining orders1 or other stay-away  
orders2  7,,iii7 assistance with        
contract1 housing1 employment1          
education1 healthcare1 benefits1 and    
privacy matters2 and  7,,iv7            

intervention with creditors1 law        
enforcement officers1 and other entities
 on behalf of survivors of identity     
theft and financial fraud4  7,b7        
,eligibility ,a public or private entity
 seeking distribution of grant funds    
received by a ,state under this         
subsection shall meet the eligibility   
requirements described in subsection    
7d74  7#c7 ,application ,each ,state    
seeking a grant under this subsection   
shall submit an application to the      
,attorney ,general at such time and in  
such manner as the ,attorney ,general   
may reasonably require4  2 and  7#c7 in 
subsection 7g71 as so redesignated1 by  
striking #eg1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal 
years #bjad through #bjah and inserting 
#hj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years    
#bjbj through #bjbd4