HEART Act of 2024

Activity in support of reintroduction of the Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act concerning attorney-client confidentiality between attorneys and their incarcerated clients. Activity in support of a repeal of the lifetime federal prohibition on access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for those with a prior drug conviction. Activity in support of the study and reduction of coercive practices in plea bargaining that undermine the right to jury trial. H.R. 8846, the Right to Trial Act in support of ending coercive plea-bargaining tactics that undermine the right to jury trial. H.R. 4987S. 1677, the Democracy Restoration Act and other activity in support of restoring the right to vote in federal elections for those leaving prison. S. 1401, the Federal Prison Oversight Act, and other activity in support of increased transparency and oversight of the conditions of federal prisons. H.R. 2955,S. 1351, the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act - to provide greater oversight for youth treatment programs and promote best practices for identifying and preventing institutional child abuse. General research and discussions surrounding Supreme Court ethics rule and funding for the federal courts and federal defender legal services. Proposed changes to Customs and Border Protection Directive No. 3340-049 (Border Search of Electronic Devices Containing Information, dated August 20, 2009), Customs and Border Protection Directive No. 3340-049A (Border Search of Electronic Devices, dated January 4, 2018), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Directive No. 7-6.1 (Border Searches of Electronic Devices, dated August 18, 2009) to prevent border officials from reading, duplicating, seizing, or sharing attorney-client privileged or confidential client documents or information contained on attorneys laptop computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices at U.S. border crossings unless the officials first obtain a subpoena based on reasonable suspicion or a warrant supported by probable cause.