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State Authority to Protect Civil Rights
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for certain actions by State attorneys general.
Summary
The bill would amend federal civil rights laws to authorize state attorneys general to bring civil lawsuits in federal court on behalf of state residents who have suffered injury from violations of specific federal statutes. State attorneys general could sue for conspiracy against rights if they have reasonable cause to believe persons have been injured, seriously injured, or killed by such conduct. They could also sue for deprivation of rights under color of law if they have reasonable cause to believe persons are being or have been injured by such conduct. In both cases, courts would be authorized to award injunctive relief or monetary damages if the defendant's conduct was malicious, oppressive, or showed reckless disregard for the plaintiff's rights.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Cory A. Booker’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $92,425
- PRIME HEALTHCARE $19,800
- APOLLO $15,800
- LOWENSTEIN SANDLER LLP $15,700
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY $14,100
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Cory A. Booker → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Feb 10, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. · senate
- Feb 10, 2026 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 10, 2026
Mr. Booker introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for certain actions by State attorneys general.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “State Authority to Protect Civil Rights”.
SEC. 2. ACTIONS BY STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL.
(a) Conspiracy Against Rights.—Section 241 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking “If two or more persons conspire” and inserting the following:
“(a) Prohibited Activities and Penalties.—If two or more persons conspire”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(b) Actions by State Attorneys Generals.—
“(1) In general.—If the Attorney General of a State has reasonable cause to believe that any person or group of persons has suffered bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death resulting from conduct constituting a violation of this section, such Attorney General may commence a civil action in the name of such State, as parens patriae on behalf of natural persons residing in such State, in any appropriate United States District Court.
“(2) Relief.—In any action under paragraph (1), the court may award appropriate relief, including temporary, preliminary, or permanent injunctive relief, or compensatory or punitive damages if the plaintiff shows that the conduct of the defendant was malicious, oppressive, or in reckless disregard of the plaintiff’s rights.”.
(b) Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law.—Section 242 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking “Whoever” and inserting the following:
“(a) Prohibited Activities and Penalties.—Whoever”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(b) Actions by State Attorneys General.—
“(1) In general.—If the Attorney General of a State has reasonable cause to believe that any person or group of persons is being, has been, or may be injured by conduct constituting a violation of this section, such Attorney General may commence a civil action in the name of such State, as parens patriae on behalf of natural persons residing in such State, in any appropriate United States District Court.
“(2) Relief.—In any action under paragraph (1), the court may award appropriate relief, including temporary, preliminary, or permanent injunctive relief, or compensatory or punitive damages if the plaintiff shows that the conduct of the defendant was malicious, oppressive, or in reckless disregard of the plaintiff’s rights.”. <all>
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