Honest Services Fraud Improvement Act

This bill would let a U.S. citizen who lived in or was a constituent of a government official's jurisdiction sue that official in federal court for taking part in a scheme to deprive citizens of honest services. The plaintiff cannot be a candidate or be acting for or funded by a candidate or campaign, must have a lawyer, and must file within set time limits. The complaint would be filed under seal and shared with the federal government, which has 60 days (or longer with court approval) to bring criminal charges instead, in which case the lawsuit is dismissed. If the official is found liable, the plaintiff would receive compensatory damages plus three times the value of any bribe, punitive damages would go to a Justice Department fund, and the official would pay the plaintiff's legal fees.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Andy Kim Democrat sponsor
• 1 cosponsors