S-697 : Still Just a Bill

Next Step Act of 2019

This bill revises sentencing guidelines, addresses prison conditions and prisoner reentry, and addresses law enforcement training.

First, it eliminates increased and mandatory minimum penalties for drug offenses involving mixtures or substances which contain cocaine base (i.e., crack cocaine).

It decriminalizes marijuana by (1) removing marijuana from the list of scheduled substances; (2) eliminating criminal penalties for an individual who imports, exports, manufactures, distributes, or possesses with intent to distribute marijuana; and (3) expunging convictions for marijuana use or possession.

It reduces the mandatory minimum prison term for defendants who manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Additionally, the bill

• requires the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide videoconferencing free of charge to prisoners;
• prohibits federal agencies from requesting that applicants disclose their criminal history before receiving a conditional offer of employment;
• restricts the use of criminal records to disqualify individuals from employment, occupational licensing, or occupational certification;
• creates a mechanism by which certain eligible individuals may file a petition to seal federal criminal records for certain nonviolent offenses;
• reinstates the right to vote in federal elections for persons convicted of criminal offenses;
• revises requirements for the BOP to help prisoners obtain identification documents prior to their release;
• establishes and revises certain grants;
• requires a state or tribe that receives certain funding to report on use-of-force incidents involving a law enforcement officer and a civilian; and
• prohibits racial profiling by law enforcement.