H.R. 8733

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8733 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8733

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
establish a grant program to support protective orders that protect 
individuals who are related by blood or marriage to individuals in 
intimate relationships, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 11, 2026

Mr. Ryan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
establish a grant program to support protective orders that protect 
individuals who are related by blood or marriage to individuals in 
intimate relationships, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as ``Melanie's Law''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PROTECTIVE ORDERS THAT PROTECT 
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RELATED BY BLOOD OR MARRIAGE TO 
INDIVIDUALS IN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS.

Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 
(34 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``PART PP--MELANIE'S LAW: GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PROTECTIVE ORDERS 
THAT PROTECT INDIVIDUALS RELATED BY BLOOD OR MARRIAGE TO INDIVIDUALS IN 
INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS

``SEC. 3061. PURPOSE; DEFINITION OF MELANIE'S LAW PROTECTIVE ORDER 
AUTHORITIES.

``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this part is to support States to 
implement the Melanie's Law protective order authorities and carry out 
related activities involving protective orders and domestic violence.
``(b) Definition of Melanie's Law Protective Order Authorities.--In 
this part, the term `Melanie's Law protective order authorities' means 
laws that ensure that family courts and criminal courts, as applicable, 
have each of the following authorities:
``(1) The jurisdiction and authority to issue and enforce a 
protective order that protects one individual from another, 
where the two individuals--
``(A) are related by consanguinity or affinity;
``(B) are legally married to each other;
``(C) were formerly married to each other, 
regardless of whether the individuals still reside in 
the same household;
``(D) have a child in common, regardless of whether 
the individuals have been married or have lived 
together at any time; or
``(E) are or have been in an intimate relationship 
with each other.
``(2) In a situation in which two individuals are or have 
been in an intimate relationship with each other, the 
jurisdiction and authority to issue and enforce a protective 
order that protects a third individual, regardless of age, 
where that third individual is related by consanguinity or 
affinity to either of the two individuals.

``SEC. 3062. GRANTS.

``(a) Authority.--The Attorney General may make grants to eligible 
States for the following purposes:
``(1) To provide education and training to law enforcement 
officers, prosecutors, and courts on the Melanie's Law 
protective order authorities and the implementation of those 
authorities.
``(2) To facilitate the service of process of protective 
orders, such as by enabling or improving service of process--
``(A) in person or by electronic means; or
``(B) across State, Tribal, or local jurisdictional 
lines.
``(3) To establish or enhance--
``(A) systems that manage and track information 
about protective orders and violations of protective 
orders, such as systems operated by law enforcement 
agencies or courts; and
``(B) mechanisms for the sharing of such 
information between and among such systems.
``(4) To support official units or positions that have 
specialized responsibilities with respect to protective orders 
or domestic violence, such as to enforce or promote compliance, 
to prosecute violations, or to coordinate with others on such 
matters.
``(5) To enable or improve the provision to victims in 
matters involving protective orders of--
``(A) civil legal services, to help such victims 
obtain, modify, and enforce protective orders or to 
represent such victims in related matters involving 
immigration or custody;
``(B) victim advocacy services, hotline services, 
and crisis response services;
``(C) emergency shelter services, relocation 
assistance, transportation assistance, childcare 
assistance, and short-term housing assistance;
``(D) access to counseling, trauma-informed 
therapy, and case management; and
``(E) access to communications equipment and 
services for personal safety and for participation in 
hearings or other official proceedings.
``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible for grants under this section, a 
State must have in effect, and must certify that it has in effect, the 
Melanie's Law protective order authorities.
``(c) Use of Grant Amounts.--Upon request of an eligible State, the 
Attorney General may permit the State to use grant amounts under this 
part to provide the non-Federal share of the cost of programs or 
projects funded by other grant programs administered by the Attorney 
General that provide support or services to victims.

``SEC. 3063. APPLICATIONS.

``(a) In General.--To request a grant under this part, the chief 
executive of a State shall submit an application to the Attorney 
General in such form and containing such information as the Attorney 
General may reasonably require. Such application shall include 
assurances that Federal funds received under this part shall be used to 
supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be 
available for activities funded under this part, except as provided in 
section 3062(c).
``(b) Implementation Plan.--Such application shall include an 
implementation plan describing how the funds will be used, what 
performance measures will be applied, and how the State will coordinate 
and partner with the relevant elements of the justice system, judicial 
system, and victims services system.

``SEC. 3064. ALLOCATIONS.

``(a) In General.--For each fiscal year, of the amounts authorized 
to be appropriated for that fiscal year, the Attorney General may 
obligate--
``(1) not more than 75 percent for grants to eligible 
States on a formula basis, with each such State receiving an 
amount that bears the same ratio to the 75 percent as the 
population of the State bears to the population of all such 
States;
``(2) not more than 22 percent for grants to eligible 
States on a competitive basis; and
``(3) not more than 3 percent for the administrative 
expenses of the Attorney General in carrying out this part for 
that fiscal year, including technical assistance, training, 
evaluation, and program administration.
``(b) Minimum Allocation Under Formula.--Notwithstanding subsection 
(a)(1), each eligible State shall receive an amount under subsection 
(a)(1) of not less than 0.5 percent.

``SEC. 3065. REPORTS.

``Each grantee receiving funds under this part shall submit a 
report to the Attorney General evaluating the effectiveness of projects 
developed with funds provided under this part and containing such 
additional information as the Attorney General may prescribe.

``SEC. 3066. DEFINITION OF STATE.

``In this part, the term `State' means each of the several States 
and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, 
American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

``SEC. 3067. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
$200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2036.''.
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