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119-hr-7171119th Congress

Fair Legal Access Grants Act

Sponsored By: Representative Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a federal grant program to fund legal representation for people seeking extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) and related support. It directs the Justice Department to award grants to States, local governments, and Tribal Governments and defines permissible uses and key terms for the program.

Show full summary
  • People eligible to file ERPOs would get funded access to counsel, interpretation or translation services, and legal resource centers that publish information and answer questions.
  • States, local, and Tribal governments could use grants to hire staff to process and represent petitioners, run legal resource centers, and award subgrants to nonprofit community legal aid groups.
  • Legal service providers, prosecutors, law enforcement, and court personnel could receive training to distinguish ERPOs from domestic violence protection orders so survivors pursue the protection that fits their needs.

*Would increase federal spending by $50.0 million per year for fiscal years 2028 through 2034 to carry out the grant program.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

More legal help for ERPO petitioners

If enacted, the Attorney General would award grants to States, local governments, and Tribal Governments to help people who can ask for an extreme risk protection order. The bill would authorize $50 million each year for fiscal years 2028 through 2034. Grant money would pay for lawyers, interpreters, legal resource centers with multilingual materials, staff who help petitioners, and subgrants to nonprofit legal-aid groups. Grants would also pay for training of legal service providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, and court personnel about ERPOs and domestic violence orders.

Limits federal lawsuits over ERPOs

If enacted, no Federal court would have jurisdiction over a Federal, State, Tribal, or local legal action that arises because a covered petitioner filed an ERPO petition. The only exception would be when the covered petitioner filed a false or intentionally harassing petition. This rule would rely on the bill's definition of a covered petitioner.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2026

  • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2026

  • Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2026

  • Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2026

  • Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2026

  • Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2026

  • Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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