# 116-hr-9045: Citizen Justice Restoration Act of 2020

116-hr-9045, Citizen Justice Restoration Act of 2020, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4] (D-MA); status Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-9045
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-9045
- Congress: 116
- Title: Citizen Justice Restoration Act of 2020
- Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced: 2020-12-21
- Sponsor: Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4] (D-MA)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Citizen Justice Restoration Act of 2020 This bill prohibits decisions to search, seize, or scrutinize an individual that discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or sex. Specifically, the bill prohibits a person acting under color of law from basing a decision to search, seize, or scrutinize an individual on actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, and makes evidence obtained as a result of such a search or seizure inadmissible, with exceptions; requires an application for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of a person in custody pursuant to the judgment of a state court to be granted with respect to any federal claim that was adjudicated on the merits in state court proceedings, which adjudication was in error; makes a new rule of constitutional law announced by the U.S. Supreme Court, a U.S. Court of Appeals, or a U.S. District Court retroactive to cases on collateral review; and requires an ambiguity in a statute that provides protection against discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, or sex to be construed in the manner that will provide the greatest protection against such discrimination. The bill further creates a private right of action and provides for the award of a bounty for citizen lawsuits under specified circumstances.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Jeffries, Hakeem S. [D-NY-8] (D-NY), 2020-12-21T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 116-hr-8015: Delivering for America Act
- 116-hr-7816: Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2020
- 116-hr-7642: Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act
- 116-hr-7517: Protect Access to Birth Control Act
- 116-hr-7232: Juneteenth National Independence Day Act
- 116-hr-7217: Confederate Monument Removal Act

## Sources
- [116-hr-9045 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/9045)

## Related
- [116-hr-8015: Delivering for America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8015)
- [116-hr-7816: Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7816)
- [116-hr-7642: Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7642)
- [116-hr-7517: Protect Access to Birth Control Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7517)
- [116-hr-7232: Juneteenth National Independence Day Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7232)
- [116-hr-7217: Confederate Monument Removal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7217)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-9045 (as of 2025-11-18).