1. Requires certifying agencies (defined as law enforcement, prosecutors, administrative judges, hearing officers and agencies that have investigative jurisdiction in their respective area of expertise) to do the following:

• Make a determination that a victim was a victim of a qualified crime.
• Make a determination that the victim has been helpful; is currently being helpful; or is likely to be helpful in the detention, investigation, and prosecution of the criminal activity.
• Documented the above information appropriately on the federal U and T visa certification forms.
• Process the certifications within 90 days of the request, unless the victim is in federal immigration removal proceedings, in which the request must be processed within 14 days.
• Identify an individual at their agency that is responsible for responding to certification requests.
• Provide outreach and education to the community regarding U and T visa certifications.
• Provide documentation of the number of certifications signed, denied, and/or withdrawn to the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA) annually.

2. Ensures that certifying agencies have language access protocols for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and deaf and hard of hearing victims.

3. Provides confidentiality for victims, in that certifying agencies are not to disclose personal identifying information and immigration status unless disclosure is required under relevant federal law or court order.

4. Requires that OCVA convene a Crime Victim Certification Steering Committee.

The U non-immigrant status (U visa) is set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation and prosecution of criminal activity. You can read more about the U Visa here.

The T non-immigrant status (T visa) is a temporary immigration benefit that enables certain victims of a severe form of human trafficking to remain in the United States for up to four years if they have assisted law enforcement in an investigation or prosecution of human trafficking. You can read more about the T Visa here.