National advisory committee

(a) In general The Division shall establish a national advisory committee to advise and make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary about the activities of the Division established under section 101 and grant programs under title II, to be known as the National Advisory Committee (referred to in this Act as the Advisory Committee). (b) Composition (1) In general The Advisory Committee shall be composed of individuals to be selected by the Secretary. (2) Representation The Assistant Secretary shall ensure that individuals selected to serve as members of the Advisory Committee— (A) have personal experience with the criminal legal system, including— (i) individuals who have been detained or incarcerated; (ii) individuals who are currently on community supervision (such as probation or parole) or who have been on community supervision; (iii) individuals who have been arrested or cited by law enforcement; (iv) individuals who have been harmed by police violence or other forms of violence, including domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, and other forms of sexual or intimate partner violence; and (v) immediate family members of individuals who have been harmed by police violence; and (B) are advocates or grassroots practitioners working to advance educational equity, health equity, housing equity, environmental justice, racial justice, gender justice, disability justice, or Indigenous justice. (3) Pay Members of the Advisory Committee shall serve at a rate of pay to be determined by the Secretary. (4) Responsibilities The duties of the Advisory Committee are as follows: (A) Making recommendations regarding annual priorities and funding for research and technical assistance and evaluating, on an annual basis, research conducted or supported by the Division and technical assistance provided by the Division. (B) Based on the evaluations conducted under subparagraph (A), producing, and submitting to the Administrator, annual recommendations on the following: (i) Whether activities conducted by the Division adequately reflect the specific needs and interests of all individuals, including Black individuals, Asian-American individuals, Latinx individuals, Indigenous individuals, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, disabled individuals, and other individuals who are members of communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the immigration and criminal legal system. (ii) Whether funding made available to the Division is sufficiently flowing to organizations that are led by individuals who represent communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the criminal-legal system, such as those referred to in clause (i). (iii) Changes that the Division could make to address any issues uncovered during such evaluations, including ways to ensure that grants awarded under this title are serving to enhance racial equity and benefit community-based organizations that have diverse leadership and composition. (5) Report Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Division receives the recommendations under paragraph (4)(B), the Division shall submit a report to Congress, which details— (A) steps the Division has taken or will take to implement the Advisory Committee’s recommendations; or (B) for any recommendations not implemented or planned to be implemented, an explanation as to why such recommendation was infeasible or conflicted with the Division’s statutory obligations. (c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the Advisory Committee.