Crime Survivor Support and Stability Act of 2026

Key Points

• The bill creates a new federal grant program giving direct cash assistance to crime survivors through local community organizations, not through police or courts. It authorizes $40 million per year from 2027 through 2031 for these grants, with each grant lasting four years.
• Survivors would not need to report the crime to police or cooperate with any investigation to get help. The bill also says survivors cannot be turned away based on immigration status, criminal record, or other personal characteristics.
• The bill lays out a set of rights Congress wants states to adopt for survivors, including the right to break a lease without penalty, take paid leave from work, get debt forgiveness for debts caused by the crime, and access legal help.
• Cash assistance received under this program would not count as taxable income and would not reduce eligibility for other government benefits like Medicaid or food stamps. This ensures survivors can get help without losing other support they depend on.
• An additional $5 million per year is authorized for grants to states to survey survivors about what services they need and what gaps exist in the current system, with results published online by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.