Restoring Law and Order on America’s Streets Act

Key Points

• This bill expands the federal civil commitment system, which currently targets sexually dangerous persons, to also cover people deemed a "danger to public safety." This means the government could involuntarily hold people in facilities if they meet the new criteria.
• The definition of "danger to public safety" covers a wide range of conduct, including violent crimes, property crimes, drug offenses in public, and notably non-violent behaviors like living in a tent or vehicle on public property for more than 24 hours or occupying an empty building without permission.
• To qualify for civil commitment, a person must have a serious mental illness, abnormality, or disorder that makes it very difficult for them to stop engaging in the listed behaviors. This effectively reframes homelessness-related conduct as a symptom of mental illness requiring involuntary institutional care.
• The bill specifically requires federal officials to evaluate every homeless person in federal custody to determine whether they should be certified for civil commitment rather than released, creating a mandatory screening process for this population.
• The bill was introduced by Rep. Mace and Rep. Burchett and has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. It would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code, building onto the existing framework used for sexually dangerous persons under Section 4248.