text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Pet and Women Safety Act of 2017''.
  
  SEC. 2. PET INVOLVEMENT IN CRIMES RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND 
                STALKING.
  
      (a) Interstate Stalking.--Section 2261A of title 18, United States 
  Code, is amended--
              (1) in paragraph (1)(A)--
                      (A) in clause (ii), by striking ``or'' at the end; 
                  and
                      (B) by inserting after clause (iii) the following:
                              ``(iv) the pet of that person; or''; and
              (2) in paragraph (2)(A)--
                      (A) by inserting after ``to a person'' the 
                  following: ``or a pet''; and
                      (B) by striking ``or (iii)'' and inserting ``(iii), 
                  or (iv)''.
      (b) Interstate Violation of Protection Order.--Section 2262 of 
  title 18, United States Code, is amended--
              (1) in subsection (a)--
                      (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ``another 
                  person'' the following: ``or the pet of that person''; 
                  and
                      (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting after 
                  ``proximity to, another person'' the following ``or the 
                  pet of that person''; and
              (2) in subsection (b)(5), by inserting after ``in any other 
          case,'' the following: ``including any case in which the 
          offense is committed against a pet,''.
      (c) Restitution To Include Veterinary Services.--Section 2264 of 
  title 18, United States Code, is amended in subsection (b)(3)--
              (1) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (G);
              (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' at the end; 
          and
              (3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
                      ``(F) veterinary services relating to physical care 
                  for the victim's pet; and''.
      (d) Pet Defined.--Section 2266 of title 18, United States Code, is 
  amended by inserting after paragraph (10) the following:
              ``(11) Pet.--The term `pet' means a domesticated animal, 
          such as a dog, cat, bird, rodent, fish, turtle, horse, or other 
          animal that is kept for pleasure rather than for commercial 
          purposes.''.
  
  SEC. 3. EMERGENCY AND TRANSITIONAL PET SHELTER AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE 
                GRANT PROGRAM.
  
      (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter in this 
  section referred to as the ``Secretary''), acting in consultation with 
  the Office of the Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice, 
  the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the Secretary of 
  Health and Human Services, shall award grants under this section to 
  eligible entities to carry out programs to provide the assistance 
  described in subsection (c) with respect to victims of domestic 
  violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and the pets of 
  such victims.
      (b) Application.--
              (1) In general.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under 
          this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
          such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
          the Secretary may reasonably require, including--
                      (A) a description of the activities for which a 
                  grant under this section is sought;
                      (B) such assurances as the Secretary determines to 
                  be necessary to ensure compliance by the entity with 
                  the requirements of this section; and
                      (C) a certification that the entity, before 
                  engaging with any individual domestic violence victim, 
                  will disclose to the victim any mandatory duty of the 
                  entity to report instances of abuse and neglect 
                  (including instances of abuse and neglect of pets).
              (2) Additional requirements.--In addition to the 
          requirements of paragraph (1), each application submitted by an 
          eligible entity under that paragraph shall--
                      (A) not include proposals for any activities that 
                  may compromise the safety of a domestic violence 
                  victim, including--
                              (i) background checks of domestic violence 
                          victims; or
                              (ii) clinical evaluations to determine the 
                          eligibility of such a victim for support 
                          services;
                      (B) not include proposals that would require 
                  mandatory services for victims or that a victim obtain 
                  a protective order in order to receive proposed 
                  services; and
                      (C) reflect the eligible entity's understanding of 
                  the dynamics of domestic violence, dating violence, 
                  sexual assault, or stalking.
              (3) Rules of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
          shall be construed to require--
                      (A) domestic violence victims to participate in the 
                  criminal justice system in order to receive services; 
                  or
                      (B) eligible entities receiving a grant under this 
                  section to breach client confidentiality.
      (c) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded under this section may only be 
  used for programs that provide--
              (1) emergency and transitional shelter and housing 
          assistance for domestic violence victims with pets, including 
          assistance with respect to any construction or operating 
          expenses of newly developed or existing emergency and 
          transitional pet shelter and housing (regardless of whether 
          such shelter and housing is co-located at a victim service 
          provider or within the community);
              (2) short-term shelter and housing assistance for domestic 
          violence victims with pets, including assistance with respect 
          to expenses incurred for the temporary shelter, housing, 
          boarding, or fostering of the pets of domestic violence victims 
          and other expenses that are incidental to securing the safety 
          of such a pet during the sheltering, housing, or relocation of 
          such victims;
              (3) support services designed to enable a domestic violence 
          victim who is fleeing a situation of domestic violence, dating 
          violence, sexual assault, or stalking to--
                      (A) locate and secure--
                              (i) safe housing with the victim's pet; or
                              (ii) safe accommodations for the victim's 
                          pet; or
                      (B) provide the victim with pet-related services, 
                  such as pet transportation, pet care services, and 
                  other assistance; or
              (4) for the training of relevant stakeholders on--
                      (A) the link between domestic violence, dating 
                  violence, sexual assault, or stalking and the abuse and 
                  neglect of pets;
                      (B) the needs of domestic violence victims;
                      (C) best practices for providing support services 
                  to such victims;
                      (D) best practices for providing such victims with 
                  referrals to victims' services; and
                      (E) the importance of confidentiality.
      (d) Grant Conditions.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
  under this section shall, as a condition of such receipt, agree--
              (1) to be bound by the nondisclosure of confidential 
          information requirements of section 40002(b)(2) of the Violence 
          Against Women Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13925(b)(2)); and
              (2) that the entity shall not condition the receipt of 
          support, housing, or other benefits provided pursuant to this 
          section on the participation of domestic violence victims in 
          any or all of the support services offered to such victims 
          through a program carried out by the entity using grant funds.
      (e) Duration of Assistance Provided to Victims.--
              (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), assistance 
          provided with respect to a pet of a domestic violence victim 
          using grant funds awarded under this section shall be provided 
          for a period of not more than 24 months.
              (2) Extension.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
          under this section may extend the 24-month period referred to 
          in paragraph (1) for a period of not more than 6 months in the 
          case of a domestic violence victim who--
                      (A) has made a good faith effort to acquire 
                  permanent housing for the victim's pet during that 24-
                  month period; and
                      (B) has been unable to acquire such permanent 
                  housing within that period.
      (f) Report to the Secretary.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
  on which an eligible entity receives a grant under this section and 
  each year thereafter, the entity shall submit to the Secretary a report 
  that contains, with respect to assistance provided by the entity to 
  domestic violence victims with pets using grant funds received under 
  this section, information on--
              (1) the number of domestic violence victims with pets 
          provided such assistance; and
              (2) the purpose, amount, type of, and duration of such 
          assistance.
      (g) Report to Congress.--
              (1) Reporting requirement.--Not later than November 1 of 
          each even-numbered fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to 
          the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives 
          and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of 
          the Senate a report that contains a compilation of the 
          information contained in the reports submitted under subsection 
          (f).
              (2) Availability of report.--The Secretary shall transmit a 
          copy of the report submitted under paragraph (1) to--
                      (A) the Office on Violence Against Women of the 
                  Department of Justice;
                      (B) the Office of Community Planning and 
                  Development of the Department of Housing and Urban 
                  Development; and
                      (C) the Administration for Children and Families of 
                  the Department of Health and Human Services.
      (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
              (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
          carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 
          through 2021.
              (2) Limitation.--Of the amount made available under 
          paragraph (1) in any fiscal year, not more than 5 percent may 
          be used for evaluation, monitoring, salaries, and 
          administrative expenses.
      (i) Definitions.--In this section:
              (1) Domestic violence victim defined.--The term ``domestic 
          violence victim'' means a victim of domestic violence, dating 
          violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
              (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                      (A) a State;
                      (B) a unit of local government;
                      (C) an Indian tribe; or
                      (D) any other organization that has a documented 
                  history of effective work concerning domestic violence, 
                  dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking (as 
                  determined by the Secretary), including--
                              (i) a domestic violence and sexual assault 
                          victim service provider;
                              (ii) a domestic violence and sexual assault 
                          coalition;
                              (iii) a community-based and culturally 
                          specific organization;
                              (iv) any other nonprofit, nongovernmental 
                          organization; and
                              (v) any organization that works directly 
                          with pets and collaborates with any 
                          organization referred to in clauses (i) through 
                          (iv), including--
                                      (I) an animal shelter; and
                                      (II) an animal welfare 
                                  organization.
              (3) Pet.--The term ``pet'' means a domesticated animal, 
          such as a dog, cat, bird, rodent, fish, turtle, horse, or other 
          animal that is kept for pleasure rather than for commercial 
          purposes.
              (4) Other terms.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
          subsection, terms used in this section shall have the meaning 
          given such terms in section 40002(a) of the Violence Against 
          Women Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13925(a)).
  
  SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
  
      It is the sense of Congress that States should encourage the 
  inclusion of protections against violent or threatening acts against 
  the pet of a person in domestic violence protection orders.
target: Pet and Women Safety Act of 2017  This bill amends the federal criminal code to broaden the definition of stalking to include conduct that causes a person to experience a reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury to his or her pet.  Additionally, an interstate violation of a protection order includes interstate travel with the intent to violate a protection order against a pet that is included within the scope of the protection order. The bill specifies the applicable criminal penalty&#8212;a prison term of up to five years, a fine, or both&#8212;for a person who commits an interstate violation of a protection order against a pet.  With respect to a defendant who commits a domestic violence offense or an interstate violation of a protection order, mandatory restitution in the &quot;full amount of victim's losses&quot; includes costs incurred for veterinary services related to the pet. The bill directs the Department of Agriculture to award grants for shelter and housing assistance and support services for domestic violence victims with pets. Finally, it expresses the sense of Congress that states should include, in domestic violence protection orders, protections against violence or threats against a person's pet. 
feat_title: Pet and Women Safety Act of 2017