Bill Overview
Title: Clarifying Civil Rights Remedies Act of 2022
Description: This bill specifies that damages in certain civil rights lawsuits may include all types of compensatory damages, including for emotional harm.
Sponsors: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Target Audience
Population: People who have experienced discrimination and might seek compensation for emotional harm in civil rights lawsuits
Estimated Size: 10000000
- Civil rights lawsuits may cover a wide range of issues, including discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and more.
- The inclusion of emotional harm in compensatory damages broadens the scope of potential claims and settlements, thus impacting more individuals in terms of legal recourse.
- Historically marginalized groups who are more likely to file civil rights lawsuits may see the most direct impact.
- Those who have experienced discrimination but have previously not pursued legal action due to limited compensations available might now consider pursuing cases.
Reasoning
- The policy aims to address issues of civil rights violations by broadening compensatory damages to include emotional harm, which could provide greater incentive for affected individuals to pursue legal claims.
- A portion of the population, especially historically marginalized groups, might now seek legal recourse due to potentially higher compensatory damages, thereby potentially improving their perceived wellbeing over time.
- Considering a budget limit of $1.5 billion dollars in the first year, not everyone who could benefit from the policy will see an impact immediately due to legal processing times and budgetary constraints.
- While the policy has the potential to impact around 10 million Americans significantly over the long term, immediate impacts may be limited and focused on individuals actively engaged in civil rights lawsuits.
Simulated Interviews
Office Worker (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy is a great step forward. Emotional harm is real and needs to be compensated.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Retail Sales (Texas)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy should make it easier to get justice for what's been done to me, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Software Developer (New York)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy offers hope for people like me who have been marginalized. Emotional damages are just as important as financial.
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 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Teacher (Florida)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Finally, a policy that recognizes emotional damage which is often ignored. It feels empowering.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Factory Worker (Illinois)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't think this policy impacts me directly, but it's good for those who need it.
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 |
Nurse (Ohio)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This new policy means my case might actually be taken seriously now, it's been tough.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Construction Worker (Washington)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is long overdue in recognizing the true costs of discrimination.
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 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Student (Virginia)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Maybe with this policy, schools will think twice before allowing discrimination. It's a comfort.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Retired (New Mexico)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's about time emotional damage is acknowledged. I hope it makes a difference for my community.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Business Owner (Alabama)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry this policy could be exploited, but I understand the need for fairness.
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 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000000 (Low: $1000000000, High: $2000000000)
Year 2: $1550000000 (Low: $1050000000, High: $2050000000)
Year 3: $1600000000 (Low: $1100000000, High: $2100000000)
Year 5: $1700000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $2200000000)
Year 10: $1900000000 (Low: $1400000000, High: $2300000000)
Year 100: $2500000000 (Low: $2000000000, High: $3000000000)
Key Considerations
- Expanded damages may incentivize more robust legal challenges to discriminatory practices.
- Potential for increased litigation could strain court resources and increase legal processing times.
- Economic and social impacts might vary significantly across regions depending on the baseline levels of discrimination and legal activity.