{"format":1,"id":"117-hr-3359","congress":117,"number":"H.R. 3359","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act of 2021","title_source":"Short Titles as Enacted","official_title":"To provide for a system for reviewing the case files of cold case murders at the instance of certain persons, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To provide for a system for reviewing the case files of cold case murders at the instance of certain persons, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill text","title":"Homicide Victims’ Families’ Rights Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Homicide Victims’ Families’ Rights Act of 2021"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles as Enacted","title":"Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed Senate","title":"Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Homicide Victims’ Families’ Rights Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Homicide Victims’ Families’ Rights Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Homicide Victims’ Families’ Rights Act of 2021"}],"outcome":"became_law","law_number":"Public Law 117-164","introduced":"2021-05-19","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2022-03-29","vote":{"id":"117-2022-h88","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended","title":"Homicide Victims’ Families’ Rights Act","result":"Passed","yea":406,"nay":20,"present":0,"not_voting":5,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll088.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"voice","date":"2022-07-25","vote":null,"how":"unanimous_consent","words":"Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent."}},"president":{"status":"signed","date":"2022-08-03"},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Became Public Law No: 117-164.","date":"2022-08-03"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2022-08-03","stage":"Public Law","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act of 2021"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill establishes a framework for immediate family members of a victim of murder under federal law to request a review of the victim's case file if the murder was committed more than three years prior, the murder was investigated by a federal law enforcement entity, all probative investigative leads have been exhausted, and no likely perpetrator has been identified."}],"words":67},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Requires federal law enforcement agencies to review the case files of cold case murders, and in some cases to reinvestigate them, when an immediate family member or similarly situated person applies in writing.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr#H4C5FC4E573FE46439AB680846844AE6C:~:text=2.%20Case%20File%20Review"},{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr#H74C7A5A0138A4AC9971FAE94437D38EC:~:text=4.%20Full%20reinvestigation"},{"label":"Sec. 12","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr#H286B63D8575D411AB4BDFE40B0033851"}]},"core_areas":["Case file review of cold case murders on application by family members","Full reinvestigation of cold case murders","Agency consultation with applicants and compliance procedures","Reporting and statistics on cold case murders"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Requires the head of a federal law enforcement agency to review the case file of a cold case murder upon written application by one designated person, to determine if a full reinvestigation would result in probative investigative leads or a likely perpetrator.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr#H4C5FC4E573FE46439AB680846844AE6C:~:text=2.%20Case%20File%20Review"}},{"text":"Requires the agency to conclude its case file review and decide whether a full reinvestigation is warranted within 6 months of receiving the application, and allows one extension of up to 6 months under stated conditions.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr#H4C5FC4E573FE46439AB680846844AE6C:~:text=2.%20Case%20File%20Review"}},{"text":"Requires the agency to conduct a full reinvestigation if the case file review concludes that it would result in probative investigative leads, and bars anyone who previously investigated the murder from conducting it.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr#H74C7A5A0138A4AC9971FAE94437D38EC:~:text=4.%20Full%20reinvestigation"}},{"text":"Requires the agency to consult with the designated person who applied, give periodic updates, and meet to explain its decision on whether to conduct a full reinvestigation.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 5","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr#HD890F99BF23B4BA19727D5604B833528:~:text=5.%20Consultation%20and%20updates"}},{"text":"Defines a cold case murder as a murder committed more than three years before the application, previously investigated by a federal law enforcement entity, with all probative investigative leads exhausted and no likely perpetrator identified.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 12","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr#H286B63D8575D411AB4BDFE40B0033851"}},{"text":"Requires each agency to submit an annual report to the House and Senate Committees on the Judiciary on applications filed, extensions granted, full reinvestigations opened and closed, and information on suspects, arrests, charges and convictions.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 13","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr#H69EB66511EAA4982AB7226FCC302F5E9:~:text=13.%20Annual%20report"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Enrolled Bill","date":null,"rule":"enrolled","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text/enr"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3359/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-hr-3359.png","v":"3301f897cbff","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 3359, 117th Congress: Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act of 2021. House: 406 Yea, 20 Nay. Senate: unanimous consent. Outcome: Became law, 3 Aug 2022."}}