Sec. 536. STUDY ON REQUIREMENT FOR UNANIMOUS VOTES FOR FINDINGS IN GENERAL AND SPECIAL COURTS-MARTIAL AND RELATED MILESTONES FOR IMPLEMENTATION

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## SEC. 536 STUDY ON REQUIREMENT FOR UNANIMOUS VOTES FOR FINDINGS IN GENERAL AND SPECIAL COURTS-MARTIAL AND RELATED MILESTONES FOR IMPLEMENTATION ###

(a)Study Required The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility and advisability of requiring unanimous votes for findings of guilty, not guilty, or not guilty only by reason of lack of mental responsibility in general and special courts-martial conducted under chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice). ###

(b)Use of Military Justice Experts The Secretary of Defense shall convene a group of members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense with significant expertise in military justice matters to carry out the study required under subsection (a). ###

(c)Information to Congress Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives the following: ####

(1)Report A report containing the results of the study required under subsection (a). ####

(2)Draft legislative text Without regard to the contents of the report under paragraph (1), draft legislative text that would revise chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice) to— #####

(A)require a unanimous vote of all members present in a general or special court-martial for a finding of guilty, not guilty, or not guilty only by reason of lack of mental responsibility for a specification; and #####

(B)provide that an accused may be tried a second time for the same offense if a general or special court-martial requiring such a unanimous vote does not result in a finding of guilty, not guilty, or not guilty only by reason of lack of mental responsibility for such offense. ####

(3)Milestones for implementation A description of any milestones or other requirements that would need to be met for the legislative text provided under paragraph

(2)to be enacted by not later than December 31, 2026.