Legal Services Corporation Act Amendments of 1981

Summary

Legal Services Corporation Act Amendments of 1981 - Amends the Legal Services Corporation Act to increase the State advisory councils from nine to ten members. Requires that each council include two eligible clients and two members of the general public from the State. Directs the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) to notify the appropriate advisory council of the initiation of any project, including any grant or contract, at least 60 days prior to its approval. Directs the Board of Directors of the LSC to issue enforcement regulations which includes provisions for the immediate suspension of financial assistance. Stipulates that an entity shall receive, pending a refunding application, interim funding which is sufficient to allow continuation of existing representation (instead of funding which is necessary to maintain current levels of activities). Applies the current prohibition, with criminal penalties, against lobbying with appropriated funds to all LSC officers and employees. Includes additional restrictions against use of Corporation funds for lobbying purposes. Deletes the current exception permitting use of funds for such purposes when a government body is considering a measure directly affecting the activities of the Corporation or a recipient. Prohibits class action suits against the Federal, State, or local governments except in accordance with Board policies or regulations. Makes the Corporation liable for reasonable attorneys' fees and costs in any case in which the court finds that the action had no reasonable basis in law or fact. Requires legal services attorneys to attempt to negotiate a settlement before filing suit, except where the local program director determines that immediate action is required to protect the interests of a client. Directs the Corporation to make available substantial amounts of funds for provision of legal assistance by private attorneys. Requires the Corporation to insure that any recipient receiving an award of attorneys' fees transfers such fees to the Corporation. Revises an existing restriction on political activities to stipulate that no funding may be used to disseminate information about political activities, including labor activities, picketing, and demonstrations. Revises the current restriction on legal assistance with respect to abortion to prohibit any such assistance unless abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother (current law prohibits assistance for procuring a "nontherapeutic" abortion). Adds new prohibitions against the use of funds for: (1) legal assistance on behalf of any illegal alien; and (2) legal assistance for adjudicating the legalization of homosexuality. Requires each recipient to maintain documentation: (1) demonstrating the eligibility of each person to whom legal assistance is provided; and (2) of any activity involving an enumerated duty of the Corporation or funding restriction. Directs the Corporation to review such documentation to assure compliance. Authorizes appropriations for the Corporation in the reduced amounts of $260,000,000 for FY 1982 and $260,000,000 for FY 1983. Decreases from ten to seven percent of appropriated funds the ceiling on funding for research, technical assistance, and information services.

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Documents

3 official files

• Passed House amended

  summary · EN · 18 June 1981

  Open at official source

• Reported to House with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 19 May 1981

  Open at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 7 May 1981

  Open at official source

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