Welcome
to NAPO
June 19, 2013
NAPO WASHINGTON REPORT FLASH
Take Action: Justice and Mental Health Collaboration
Act Scheduled for Judiciary Committee Vote on Thursday,
June 20, 2013!
Ask Committee Members to Vote for the Bill Today!
NAPO has made reauthorization of the Justice
and Mental Health Collaboration Act (JMHCA) of 2013 a
top legislative priority for the 113th Congress, as it
supports our continuing response to firearms and mental
health issues. This Thursday, members of the Senate Judiciary
Committee will vote on the JMHCA, introduced by Senators
Al Franken (D-MN) and Mike Johanns (R-NE). The bill reauthorizes
the successful Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime
Reduction Act (MIOTCRA) and is co-sponsored by a bipartisan
group of 27 of their colleagues in the Senate.
The JMHCA extends this important legislation
and helps criminal justice and mental health agencies
work collaboratively towards better outcomes. The JMHCA
bill:
• Extends for five years the authorization for mental
health courts and specialized police-based responses;
• Authorizes investments in veterans treatment courts,
which serve arrested veterans who suffer from post-traumatic
stress disorders, substance addiction, and other mental
health conditions;
• Increases focus on corrections-based programs;
and
• Supports the development of training curricula
for police academies.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a markup
of the bill for Thursday, June 20. In order to gain successful
passage of the bill out of committee, we need you to take
action today by contacting Senators on the committee and
asking them to vote for the bill. Judiciary Committee
members are: Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ranking Member
Charles Grassley (R-IA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Charles
Schumer (D-NY), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse
(D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Al Franken (D-MN), Chris
Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono
(D-HI), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Lindsey
Graham (R-SC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ted
Cruz (R-TX), and Jeff Flake (R-AZ).
Below please find office numbers for each of the members
on the Senate Judiciary Committee:
• Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT): (202)
224-4242
• Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA): (202)
224-3744
• Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): (202) 224-3841
• Charles Schumer (D-NY): (202) 224-6542
• Richard Durbin (D-IL): (202) 224-2152
• Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): (202) 224-2921
• Al Franken (D-MN): (202) 224-5641
• Chris Coons (D-DE): (202) 224-5042
• Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): (202) 224-2823
• Mazie Hirono (D-HI): (202) 224-6361
• Orrin Hatch (R-UT): (202) 224-5251
• Jeff Sessions (R-AL): (202) 224-4124
• Lindsey Graham (R-SC): (202) 224-5972
• John Cornyn (R-TX): (202) 224-2934
• Mike Lee (R-UT): (202) 224-5444
• Ted Cruz (R-TX): (202) 224-5922
• Jeff Flake (R-AZ): (202) 224-4521
It is crucial that you contact Judiciary
Committee Members today to urge them vote Yes on S.162,
the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Act!
If you have any questions about this legislation,
please contact Melissa Nee at: mnee@napo.org.
#
June
18, 2013
NAPO WASHINGTON REPORT FLASH
NAPO CONTINUES LOBBYING EFFORTS ON
CAPITOL HILL
On June 13, 2013, NAPO’s Executive
Director, Bill Johnson, met with Congresswoman Lois
Frankel’s (D-FL) Chief of Staff, Jonathon Bray,
and Legislative Director, James Cho, to discuss law
enforcement concerns regarding the recent Driver’s
Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) amendment. (The latest
amendment to the DPPA requires state motor vehicle
departments to receive permission from individuals
before their personal motor vehicle record may be
sold or released to third-party marketers).
During the meeting, Johnson explained
that the DPPA amendment authorizes a private right
of action for knowing violations, and a court may
award damages in the amount of $2,500 for each time
a record was accessed, as well as attorney fees and
other litigation costs. Law enforcement officers are
subject to these stringent punishments, even if they
did not review files with criminal intent.
Both Mr. Bray and Mr. Cho were receptive
to NAPO’s proposed language modifications to
the amendment, which include adding a clause that
explains that penalties will be applied only if persons
access information with the specific intent to secure
an economic benefit. Also, NAPO proposes removing
the $2,500 penalty for a violation of this act, as
well as adding a statement that explains there must
be repeated disregard of this law for action to be
taken. Johnson stressed that if the language is not
modified, law enforcement officers will be subject
to large fines, and even the loss of their licenses
for de minimus actions.
NAPO will follow-up with Congresswoman
Frankel in the short term, and will continue to aggressively
lobby members of Congress to gain support for NAPO’s
proposed language changes to the DPPA amendment.
If you have any questions about this
legislation, please contact Melissa Nee at: mnee@napo.org.
Copyright © NAPO 2013. All
rights reserved.
June 17, 2013
NAPO WASHINGTON REPORT FLASH
Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Act (JMHCA)
As has been noted in previous Washington
Reports, NAPO has made reauthorization of the Justice
and Mental Health Collaboration Act (JMHCA) a top legislative
priority for the 113th Congress, as the Justice and Mental
Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) helps criminal justice
and mental health agencies work collaboratively towards
better outcomes. The JMHCP can help law enforcement agencies
across the United States in their responsibilities in
assisting those, and dealing with, citizens with mental
health issues.
The JMHCA is scheduled for a mark-up on
June 20, 2013. As NAPO continues to work closely with
its counterparts to advocate for this legislation, we
would be most grateful if your organization considered
signing on to the JMHCA National Reauthorization sign-on
letter (PDF can be found under Washington Reports drop
down window).
If you would like to sign-on to the letter,
please contact the Council of State Governments Justice
Center’s Manager of Government Affairs, Mr. Jay
Nelson, at: (202) 624-7842 or jnelson@csg.org. The deadline
for signing on to the letter is close of business on June
18, 2013.
If you have any questions about this legislation,
please do not hesitate to contact Melissa Nee at: mnee@napo.org.
.
Copyright © NAPO 2013. All rights reserved.
##
The
National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is a
coalition of police unions and associations from across
the United States that serves to advance the interests of
America's law enforcement officers through legislative and
legal advocacy, political action and education.
Founded
in 1978, NAPO is now the strongest unified voice supporting
law enforcement officers in the United States. NAPO represents
more than 2,000 police units and associations, 241,000 sworn
law enforcement officers, 11,000 retired officers and more
than 100,000 citizens who share a common dedication to fair
and effective crime control and law enforcement.
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