,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #cabd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,october #be1  
#bjbc,mr4 ,sullivan 7for himself and    
,mr4 ,padilla7 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  7,a7
 ,amount ,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 pursuant to subsection 7g7
 for the fiscal year4  7,b7 ,use ,a     
,state that receives a grant under      
subparagraph 7,a7 shall use amounts from
 the grant to provide legal assistance  
to survivors of domestic violence1      
dating violence1 stalking1 and sexual   
assault1 with the goal of every survivor
 of domestic violence1 dating violence1 
stalking1 and sexual assault receiving  
legal assistance4  7#b7 ,use of funds   
7,a7 ,in general ,amounts 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 initiate or respond to    
motions to vacate or expunge a          
conviction1 or similar actions1 if the  
jurisdiction permits such a legal action
 based on a person's status as a crime  
victim2 and  7ii7 with other civil legal
 actions1 other than tort actions1 which
 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 amounts from a 
grant 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    
#bjbd through #bjbh4