Skip to content
Congress·In Committee·20 days ago

Senate Bill Would Let State AGs Sue Over Federal Civil Rights Violations

Also known as: State Authority to Protect Civil Rights

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill gives state attorneys general the power to sue people or groups who violate federal civil rights laws. Right now, these specific laws are usually treated as criminal cases that only the federal government can handle.
  • If a state official believes a resident has been hurt or killed because of a conspiracy against their rights, they could take the case to federal court. This also applies to cases where someone's rights are taken away by a person acting with government authority.
  • The policy aims to create more ways to protect people from civil rights abuses. If a state wins a lawsuit, a judge can order the person responsible to pay money for damages or issue an order to stop the harmful behavior immediately.
  • This change would allow states to step in and defend their residents' rights directly. It provides a backup option for justice if federal prosecutors are unable or unwilling to take on a specific case.
Civil RightsCriminal Justice

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 10, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Feb 10, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Related News

3 articles
The Hill·almost 2 years ago

Raskin, Hirono reintroduce bill to empower state AGs on civil rights

Rep. Jamie Raskin and Sen. Mazie Hirono reintroduced the State and Local Civil Rights Enforcement Act, which would permit state AGs to initiate civil lawsuits in federal court for violations of federal civil rights laws, providing a new tool to combat hate crimes and police misconduct.

C=
NBC News·almost 4 years ago

House Democrats introduce bill to let state AGs sue for civil rights violations

The legislation would allow state attorneys general to bring civil actions in federal court for violations of federal criminal civil rights statutes, such as conspiracy against rights and deprivation of rights under color of law, which are currently only enforceable by the DOJ.

CL=
Bloomberg Law·almost 4 years ago

State AGs Would Get Power to Sue for Federal Civil Rights Violations

The proposed State and Local Civil Rights Enforcement Act would authorize state attorneys general to bring civil suits for damages or injunctive relief against individuals or groups who violate federal civil rights laws, expanding enforcement beyond the Department of Justice.

C=

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

State Authority to Protect Civil Rights

Bill NumberS 3824
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.