Bill > HR4161

This bill aims to prohibit courts from calculating civil damages using methods that factor in a plaintiff's race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or other protected class characteristics when determining future earnings potential. The bill defines "future earnings tables" as economic data compilations used to estimate an individual's potential future work years and wages, and establishes that no federal court can award damages using calculations that consider protected class attributes. While preventing discriminatory calculations, the bill explicitly does not prevent courts from awarding damages to plaintiffs based on their membership in a protected class or under existing civil rights laws. The Secretary of Labor is tasked with developing guidance for forensic economists to create "inclusive future earnings tables" free from demographic bias within 180 days of the bill's enactment. Additionally, the bill mandates two key studies: one by the Judicial Conference of the United States to analyze damages awarded across different case types and protected classes, and another by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to explore how to calculate future earnings potential while considering age and disability without violating equal protection laws. The bill also requires the Federal Judicial Center to provide training to federal judges on implementing these new guidelines for damages calculations.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4161/all-info