Bill Overview
Title: 21st Century President Act
Description: This act revises the definition of immediate family for purposes of a criminal offense involving a threat to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm on a former President or a member of the immediate family of a former President. Specifically, it replaces gender-specific references to a former President's wife and widow with the gender-neutral terms spouse and surviving spouse .
Sponsors: Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
Target Audience
Population: People involved in or impacted by the legal system concerning threats to former Presidents' families
Estimated Size: 500000
- The bill impacts those involved in criminal cases concerning threats against a former President's family.
- This includes legal professionals and law enforcement who need to understand the new definitions.
- Gender-neutral language allows for equality in interpretation of laws, impacting societal views of gender roles.
- Legislation is U.S. based and concerns U.S. former Presidents, so the population directly affected is largely within the U.S.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily affects legal definitions, thus directly impacting law enforcement, legal professionals, and legislative staff familiar with criminal law related to threats against former Presidents and their families.
- Since the change involves gender-neutral language, it could contribute to societal changes in perceptions about gender roles, though the direct impact is likely minimal for most citizens.
- Federal funds needed for the adjustment are likely to go towards training and dissemination of information in legal circles.
- The population most affected includes those professionally involved in law and legislation rather than the general public.
- The budget constraints suggest that the greatest impact will be in educational efforts among legal professionals rather than broad public campaigns.
Simulated Interviews
Federal Prosecutor (Washington D.C.)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a necessary update for inclusiveness in the legal language.
- As a prosecutor, it's crucial that we have precise and updated terms to apply the law effectively.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Judicial Clerk (New York, NY)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The changes help clarify my work, so it's a positive move.
- Ensures that laws are up-to-date with contemporary societal norms.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Civil Rights Attorney (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate the gender-neutral terminology; it's a step forward for equality.
- This policy might set a precedent for other necessary updates in the legal system.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Law Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy aligns with what I'm learning about modernizing legal systems.
- It provides more inclusive language which is very much needed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired Secret Service Agent (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy doesn't impact my daily life, but I see it as a positive legal update.
- It's more of an administrative than operational change in practice.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Family Member of Former President (Dallas, TX)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The inclusivity in wording feels acknowledging and respectful.
- Direct impact on wellbeing is minimal, but it's a thoughtful legislative update.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Criminal Defense Lawyer (Boston, MA)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The clarification in terms helps in defending or prosecuting threat-related cases accurately.
- It simplifies legal practice, which is always a welcome change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Activist (Portland, OR)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Seeing the legal system adopt gender-neutral language is heartening.
- I hope this paves the way for larger reforms in the legal system.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Federal Judge (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy update is a necessary refinement to ensure legal clarity.
- It largely aligns with existing legal procedures but formalizes them.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Paralegal (Miami, FL)
Age: 47 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This change makes legal documents more accurate.
- While it doesn't change outcomes drastically, precision in language matters a lot in law.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The bill mainly impacts the language used in legal proceedings, ensuring inclusivity and non-discrimination.
- Minimal impact on government spending and resources beyond initial communication of changes to relevant stakeholders.
- No expected changes in GDP, employment, or tax revenue.