A bill to delay conditionally the effective date of certain rules of procedure and evidence proposed by the United States Supreme Court and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-42 · H.R. 4712 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Jul 31, 1979 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Rep. Robert Drinan (D-MA-4)
Cosponsors (6): Rep. Sam Hall, Rep. Michael Synar,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Stipulates that certain amendments proposed by the United States Supreme Court and transmitted by the Chief Justice on April 30, 1979, to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Federal Rules of Evidence, and the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure shall not take effect until specified dates and to the extent approved by Congress. Revises the proposed amendment to Rule 40 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure (relating to commitment to another district and removal).
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Jul 31, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-42.
- Jul 26, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Jul 25, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jul 24, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Jul 23, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Judiciary Committee
- Jul 10, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.