Sponsors (2)
The bill expands procedural pathways and policies to reduce punishment and improve reentry for people whose offenses were tied to abuse and to document barriers faced by those with criminal records, while trading off increased court workloads, fiscal costs, and concerns about public safety and evidentiary reliability.
People who were sexually assaulted, stalked, trafficked, or experienced domestic/dating violence can obtain reduced or noncustodial sentences and may file resentencing motions for prior sentences, creating a clear pathway to relief for many defendants whose offenses were driven by abuse.
The bill lowers procedural barriers by allowing courts to rely on affidavits proved by a preponderance of the evidence and directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to update guidelines, making relief more accessible and encouraging consistent application across federal courts.
Findings that people with criminal records face widespread barriers to housing, employment, health care, and food assistance highlight the need for policy fixes that could improve access and stability for millions of justice-involved and low-income Americans.
Some nonviolent offenders may avoid prison or receive reduced sentences, raising public-safety concerns for victims and generating political controversy about perceived reductions in punishment.
Expanding discretionary resentencing and new procedures will increase federal court workloads, could slow resolution of other cases, and may raise costs for taxpayers and federal court operations.
Allowing affidavit-based proof by a preponderance of the evidence risks inconsistent assessments or false claims in some cases if corroboration is lacking, potentially harming both victims and defendants.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Permits federal judges to reduce or replace prison sentences for defendants who were victims of sexual assault, stalking, domestic/dating violence, or severe trafficking when abuse significantly contributed to the offense.
Introduced December 4, 2025 by Joseph Morelle · Last progress December 4, 2025
Allows federal courts to give shorter or alternative sentences to defendants who were themselves survivors of sexual assault, stalking, dating or domestic violence, or severe forms of trafficking when that abuse was a significant contributing factor in the offense. The bill lets courts sentence below statutory minima or impose probation/community confinement, permits an affidavit of abuse proven by a preponderance of the evidence, applies on enactment and allows resentencing motions in prior federal cases, and directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to revise guidelines and policy statements accordingly.