U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) is still pushing hard for legislation that would make criminal justice in the U.S. more fair for its poorest citizens.
Schatz recently took to social media to remind voters that he and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) continue to support the legislation that hasn't gained much traction in Washington.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz
| Wikimedia Commons
"Excessive court fines and fees disproportionately impact low-income communities, forcing them into a cycle of penalties and poverty," Schatz said in his Jan. 11 tweet. "Everyone deserves equal treatment under the law, no matter how much money is in their bank accounts."
Schatz's tweet linked to a Washington Post op-ed piece by St. Louis Post-Dispatch Metro Columnist Tony Messenger, published on Jan. 7 with the headline, "Can't pay the court? Go to jail. Debtor's prison lives on."
"That’s why I’m working on legislation with Rep. Jerry Nadler to reform this broken system by providing funding to state and local courts to help curb this practice," Schatz said in a reply to his tweet.
Messenger is author of a recently released book, "Profit and Punishment: How America Criminalizes the Poor in the Name of Justice."
The State Justice Improvement Act, House Bill 5646, sponsored by Nadler, and Senate Bill 3024, sponsored by Schatz, was first introduced into Congress in March to address nationwide fines, fees and monetary bail inequalities based on ability to pay. The still-present inequalities disproportionately impact low-income people and communities of color.
The State Justice Improvement Act would push state and local courts "to reform these monetary punishment policies," Schatz said on his website.
"All Americans deserve equal treatment under the law, no matter how much money is in their bank accounts," Schatz said on his website. "Our bill will help to end the cycle of poverty and incarceration, creating a justice system that treats people fairly and keeps our communities safe."
The legislation didn't find its footing last spring, and Schatz and Nadler reintroduced the legislation into their respective chambers in October.
"All Americans should have equal access to the nation's criminal justice system, regardless of their socioeconomic status," Nadler said in a joint news release with Schatz issued in October. "Sadly, numerous courts across the nation impose excessive fees and fines, which have failed to improve public safety, and instead have placed an undue burden on low-income communities and communities of color. Our legislation will help address these injustices so that we take a step toward bringing an end to the poverty-to-prison pipeline and restore public trust in our criminal justice system."
The legislation has picked up cosponsors in the Senate, including Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT.), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN.), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
Both bills otherwise remain held up in committee.