**House Passes Law Increasing Penalties for Fleeing Law Enforcement**

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28 days ago - Politics

House Passes New Law Aimed at Detering Fleeing from Law Enforcement

In a significant move, the House of Representatives has passed a new law known as the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act. This bill changes how the country treats individuals who try to escape from police officers while driving.

The bill aims to establish stricter penalties for individuals who deliberately run away from Federal officers, such as Border Patrol agents or police. If someone is caught fleeing, they could face serious consequences, including:

  • Up to 2 years in jail for trying to escape.
  • If their actions lead to serious injuries, they could face 5 to 20 years in prison.
  • In the most serious cases, if someone dies due to a person's attempt to flee, that person could be sentenced to 10 years to life in prison.

The law also affects people's immigration status. Individuals who are caught fleeing could be banned from entering the United States or could even be deported back to their home country. This means that fleeing from the police doesn't just result in jail time, but could also have long-lasting effects on a person’s ability to live in the U.S.

To better understand how often these incidents occur, the law requires annual reports from the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security. These reports will track how many people are involved in such cases, whether they were caught or not, and overall help to assess if the new penalties are effective.

The bill received strong support from House Republicans, who were the main force behind its approval. As the legislation moves forward, it aims to create safer roads and hold individuals accountable for dangerous actions while also tightening immigration controls related to fleeing from law enforcement.

This is a bill that punishes people who try to escape from police while driving a car.

First and foremost, if someone runs away from a police officer while operating a vehicle close to the U.S. border, they can face serious penalties.

Key points include:

  1. Criminal Penalties:

    • If caught fleeing, a person could spend up to 2 years in prison or pay a fine.
    • If their actions cause serious injury, the prison time increases to between 5 and 20 years.
    • If someone dies because of their actions, they could face 10 years to life in prison.

  2. Immigration Consequences:

    • If a person is not a U.S. citizen and is convicted of fleeing, they can be denied entry to the country and may be deported.
    • They also cannot apply for asylum or other legal protections related to immigration.

  3. Annual Reporting:

    • The Attorney General will provide a yearly report on the number of people involved in such cases, detailing those charged, those not charged, and the outcomes for those violations.

This bill aims to keep citizens and officers safe by taking a tough stand against those who evade law enforcement.

419 votes

Yes

264

No

155

Not Voting

14

  1. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  2. On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 264 - 155 (Roll no. 42).
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  3. Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 264 - 155 (Roll no. 42).
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  4. The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  5. DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 35.
  6. Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 5.
  7. Introduced in House

    This is a bill that punishes people who try to escape from police while driving a car.

    First and foremost, if someone runs away from a police officer while operating a vehicle close to the U.S. border, they can face serious penalties.

    Key points include:

    1. Criminal Penalties:

      • If caught fleeing, a person could spend up to 2 years in prison or pay a fine.
      • If their actions cause serious injury, the prison time increases to between 5 and 20 years.
      • If someone dies because of their actions, they could face 10 years to life in prison.

    2. Immigration Consequences:

      • If a person is not a U.S. citizen and is convicted of fleeing, they can be denied entry to the country and may be deported.
      • They also cannot apply for asylum or other legal protections related to immigration.

    3. Annual Reporting:

      • The Attorney General will provide a yearly report on the number of people involved in such cases, detailing those charged, those not charged, and the outcomes for those violations.

    This bill aims to keep citizens and officers safe by taking a tough stand against those who evade law enforcement.

  8. Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
  9. Introduced in House