This bill, titled the "Preventing Prosecutors from Protecting Predators Act of 2026," seeks to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 by establishing new reporting requirements for certain prosecuting offices. Specifically, it mandates that chief prosecuting officers in jurisdictions of 100,000 or more persons, who receive federal funds under Part T to combat violence against women, must submit annual reports to the Attorney General. These reports must contain comprehensive data for the previous fiscal year regarding cases involving a range of "covered offenses," such as rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, and sex trafficking . The required data includes the total number of cases referred, the number of cases declined for prosecution with reasoning, and information on defendants' prior criminal history or registry status. Offices must also report on bail decisions, including requests, grants, and outcomes after release, as well as detailed results of cases, such as convictions, dismissals with reasoning, and plea agreements. The Attorney General is tasked with defining uniform standards for this reporting, ensuring data is segregated by offense, and publishing the information on a publicly viewable website. Non-compliance can lead to penalties, including the withholding of 25 to 50 percent of federal funds, and if an office declines to prosecute more than half of referred cases, the Attorney General may require a corrective action plan or suspend future grant eligibility.
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Crime and Law Enforcement
Preventing Prosecutors from Protecting Predators Act of 2026
USA119th CongressHR-6982| House
| Updated: 1/8/2026
This bill, titled the "Preventing Prosecutors from Protecting Predators Act of 2026," seeks to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 by establishing new reporting requirements for certain prosecuting offices. Specifically, it mandates that chief prosecuting officers in jurisdictions of 100,000 or more persons, who receive federal funds under Part T to combat violence against women, must submit annual reports to the Attorney General. These reports must contain comprehensive data for the previous fiscal year regarding cases involving a range of "covered offenses," such as rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, and sex trafficking . The required data includes the total number of cases referred, the number of cases declined for prosecution with reasoning, and information on defendants' prior criminal history or registry status. Offices must also report on bail decisions, including requests, grants, and outcomes after release, as well as detailed results of cases, such as convictions, dismissals with reasoning, and plea agreements. The Attorney General is tasked with defining uniform standards for this reporting, ensuring data is segregated by offense, and publishing the information on a publicly viewable website. Non-compliance can lead to penalties, including the withholding of 25 to 50 percent of federal funds, and if an office declines to prosecute more than half of referred cases, the Attorney General may require a corrective action plan or suspend future grant eligibility.