{"id":6091,"date":"2019-06-01T10:36:03","date_gmt":"2019-06-01T10:36:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=6091"},"modified":"2019-06-01T10:36:15","modified_gmt":"2019-06-01T10:36:15","slug":"public-law-115-164-allow-states-and-victims-to-fight-online-sex-trafficking-act-of-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=6091","title":{"rendered":"Public Law 115-164 &#8211; Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[115th Congress Public Law 164]<br \/>\n[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]<\/p>\n<div><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"embed-pdf-viewer\" src=\"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/PLAW-115publ164.pdf\" height=\"1000\" width=\"100%\" title=\"PLAW 115publ164\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/PLAW-115publ164.pdf\" title=\"PLAW 115publ164\">PLAW 115publ164<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[[Page 132 STAT. 1253]]<\/p>\n<p>Public Law 115-164<br \/>\n115th Congress<\/p>\n<p>An Act<\/p>\n<p>To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to clarify that section 230 of<br \/>\nsuch Act does not prohibit the enforcement against providers and users<br \/>\nof interactive computer services of Federal and State criminal and civil<br \/>\nlaw relating to sexual exploitation of children or sex trafficking, and<br \/>\nfor other purposes. &lt;&lt;NOTE: Apr. 11, 2018 &#8211; [H.R. 1865]&gt;&gt;<\/p>\n<p>Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the<br \/>\nUnited States of America in Congress assembled, &lt;&lt;NOTE: Allow States and<br \/>\nVictims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017.&gt;&gt;<br \/>\nSECTION 1. &lt;&lt;NOTE: 18 USC 1 note.&gt;&gt; SHORT TITLE.<\/p>\n<p>This Act may be cited as the &#8220;Allow States and Victims to Fight<br \/>\nOnline Sex Trafficking Act of 2017&#8221;.<br \/>\nSEC. 2. &lt;&lt;NOTE: 47 USC 230 note.&gt;&gt; SENSE OF CONGRESS.<\/p>\n<p>It is the sense of Congress that&#8211;<br \/>\n(1) section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.<br \/>\n230; commonly known as the &#8220;Communications Decency Act of<br \/>\n1996&#8221;) was never intended to provide legal protection to<br \/>\nwebsites that unlawfully promote and facilitate prostitution and<br \/>\nwebsites that facilitate traffickers in advertising the sale of<br \/>\nunlawful sex acts with sex trafficking victims;<br \/>\n(2) websites that promote and facilitate prostitution have<br \/>\nbeen reckless in allowing the sale of sex trafficking victims<br \/>\nand have done nothing to prevent the trafficking of children and<br \/>\nvictims of force, fraud, and coercion; and<br \/>\n(3) clarification of such section is warranted to ensure<br \/>\nthat such section does not provide such protection to such<br \/>\nwebsites.<br \/>\nSEC. 3. PROMOTION OF PROSTITUTION AND RECKLESS DISREGARD OF SEX<br \/>\nTRAFFICKING.<\/p>\n<p>(a) Promotion of Prostitution.&#8211;Chapter 117 of title 18, United<br \/>\nStates Code, is amended by inserting after section 2421 the following:<br \/>\n&#8220;Sec. 2421A. &lt;&lt;NOTE: 18 USC 2421A.&gt;&gt; Promotion or facilitation<br \/>\nof prostitution and reckless disregard of sex<br \/>\ntrafficking<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;(a) In General.&#8211;Whoever, using a facility or means of interstate<br \/>\nor foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce,<br \/>\nowns, manages, or operates an interactive computer service (as such term<br \/>\nis defined in defined in section 230(f) the Communications Act of 1934<br \/>\n(47 U.S.C. 230(f))), or conspires or attempts to do so, with the intent<br \/>\nto promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person shall be<br \/>\nfined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both.<br \/>\n&#8220;(b) Aggravated Violation.&#8211;Whoever, using a facility or means of<br \/>\ninterstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate<\/p>\n<p>[[Page 132 STAT. 1254]]<\/p>\n<p>or foreign commerce, owns, manages, or operates an interactive computer<br \/>\nservice (as such term is defined in defined in section 230(f) the<br \/>\nCommunications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f))), or conspires or attempts<br \/>\nto do so, with the intent to promote or facilitate the prostitution of<br \/>\nanother person and&#8211;<br \/>\n&#8220;(1) promotes or facilitates the prostitution of 5 or more<br \/>\npersons; or<br \/>\n&#8220;(2) acts in reckless disregard of the fact that such<br \/>\nconduct contributed to sex trafficking, in violation of 1591(a),<\/p>\n<p>shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 25 years,<br \/>\nor both.<br \/>\n&#8220;(c) Civil Recovery.&#8211;Any person injured by reason of a violation<br \/>\nof section 2421A(b) may recover damages and reasonable attorneys&#8217; fees<br \/>\nin an action before any appropriate United States district court.<br \/>\n&#8220;(d) Mandatory Restitution.&#8211;Notwithstanding sections 3663 or 3663A<br \/>\nand in addition to any other civil or criminal penalties authorized by<br \/>\nlaw, the court shall order restitution for any violation of subsection<br \/>\n(b)(2). The scope and nature of such restitution shall be consistent<br \/>\nwith section 2327(b).<br \/>\n&#8220;(e) Affirmative Defense.&#8211;It shall be an affirmative defense to a<br \/>\ncharge of violating subsection (a), or subsection (b)(1) where the<br \/>\ndefendant proves, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the promotion<br \/>\nor facilitation of prostitution is legal in the jurisdiction where the<br \/>\npromotion or facilitation was targeted.&#8221;.<br \/>\n(b) Table of Contents.&#8211;The table of contents for such chapter is<br \/>\namended &lt;&lt;NOTE: 18 USC prec. 2421.&gt;&gt; by inserting after the item<br \/>\nrelating to section 2421 the following:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;2421A. Promotion or facilitation of prostitution and reckless<br \/>\ndisregard of sex trafficking.&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>SEC. 4. ENSURING ABILITY TO ENFORCE FEDERAL AND STATE CRIMINAL AND<br \/>\nCIVIL LAW RELATING TO SEX TRAFFICKING.<\/p>\n<p>(a) In General.&#8211;Section 230(e) of the Communications Act of 1934<br \/>\n(47 U.S.C. 230(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following:<br \/>\n&#8220;(5) No effect on sex trafficking law.&#8211;Nothing in this<br \/>\nsection (other than subsection (c)(2)(A)) shall be construed to<br \/>\nimpair or limit&#8211;<br \/>\n&#8220;(A) any claim in a civil action brought under<br \/>\nsection 1595 of title 18, United States Code, if the<br \/>\nconduct underlying the claim constitutes a violation of<br \/>\nsection 1591 of that title;<br \/>\n&#8220;(B) any charge in a criminal prosecution brought<br \/>\nunder State law if the conduct underlying the charge<br \/>\nwould constitute a violation of section 1591 of title<br \/>\n18, United States Code; or<br \/>\n&#8220;(C) any charge in a criminal prosecution brought<br \/>\nunder State law if the conduct underlying the charge<br \/>\nwould constitute a violation of section 2421A of title<br \/>\n18, United States Code, and promotion or facilitation of<br \/>\nprostitution is illegal in the jurisdiction where the<br \/>\ndefendant&#8217;s promotion or facilitation of prostitution<br \/>\nwas targeted.&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>(b) &lt;&lt;NOTE: Applicability. 47 USC 230 note.&gt;&gt; Effective Date.&#8211;The<br \/>\namendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of the<br \/>\nenactment of this Act, and the amendment made by subsection (a) shall<br \/>\napply regardless of<\/p>\n<p>[[Page 132 STAT. 1255]]<\/p>\n<p>whether the conduct alleged occurred, or is alleged to have occurred,<br \/>\nbefore, on, or after such date of enactment.<br \/>\nSEC. 5. ENSURING FEDERAL LIABILITY FOR PUBLISHING INFORMATION<br \/>\nDESIGNED TO FACILITATE SEX TRAFFICKING OR<br \/>\nOTHERWISE FACILITATING SEX TRAFFICKING.<\/p>\n<p>Section 1591(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended&#8211;<br \/>\n(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs<br \/>\n(5) and (6), respectively; and<br \/>\n(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:<br \/>\n&#8220;(4) &lt;&lt;NOTE: Definition.&gt;&gt; The term `participation in a<br \/>\nventure&#8217; means knowingly assisting, supporting, or facilitating<br \/>\na violation of subsection (a)(1).&#8221;.<br \/>\nSEC. 6. ACTIONS BY STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL.<\/p>\n<p>(a) In General.&#8211;Section 1595 of title 18, United States Code, is<br \/>\namended by adding at the end the following:<br \/>\n&#8220;(d) In any case in which the attorney general of a State has<br \/>\nreason to believe that an interest of the residents of that State has<br \/>\nbeen or is threatened or adversely affected by any person who violates<br \/>\nsection 1591, the attorney general of the State, as parens patriae, may<br \/>\nbring a civil action against such person on behalf of the residents of<br \/>\nthe State in an appropriate district court of the United States to<br \/>\nobtain appropriate relief.&#8221;.<br \/>\n(b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.&#8211;Section 1595 of title 18,<br \/>\nUnited States Code, is amended&#8211;<br \/>\n(1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking &#8220;this section&#8221; and<br \/>\ninserting &#8220;subsection (a)&#8221;; and<br \/>\n(2) in subsection (c), in the matter preceding paragraph<br \/>\n(1), by striking &#8220;this section&#8221; and inserting &#8220;subsection<br \/>\n(a)&#8221;.<br \/>\nSEC. 7. &lt;&lt;NOTE: 47 USC 230 note.&gt;&gt; SAVINGS CLAUSE.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall be<br \/>\nconstrued to limit or preempt any civil action or criminal prosecution<br \/>\nunder Federal law or State law (including State statutory law and State<br \/>\ncommon law) filed before or after the day before the date of enactment<br \/>\nof this Act that was not limited or preempted by section 230 of the<br \/>\nCommunications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230), as such section was in<br \/>\neffect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act.<br \/>\nSEC. 8. &lt;&lt;NOTE: Time period. Reports.&gt;&gt; GAO STUDY.<\/p>\n<p>On the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this<br \/>\nAct, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study<br \/>\nand submit to the Committees on the Judiciary of the House of<br \/>\nRepresentatives and of the Senate, the Committee on Homeland Security of<br \/>\nthe House of Representatives, and the Committee on Homeland Security and<br \/>\nGovernmental Affairs of the Senate, a report which includes the<br \/>\nfollowing:<br \/>\n(1) Information on each civil action brought pursuant to<br \/>\nsection 2421A(c) of title 18, United States Code, that resulted<br \/>\nin an award of damages, including the amount claimed, the nature<br \/>\nor description of the losses claimed to support the amount<br \/>\nclaimed, the losses proven, and the nature or description of the<br \/>\nlosses proven to support the amount awarded.<br \/>\n(2) Information on each civil action brought pursuant to<br \/>\nsection 2421A(c) of title 18, United States Code, that did not<br \/>\nresult in an award of damages, including&#8211;<\/p>\n<p>[[Page 132 STAT. 1256]]<\/p>\n<p>(A) the amount claimed and the nature or description<br \/>\nof the losses claimed to support the amount claimed; and<br \/>\n(B) whether the case was dismissed, and if the case<br \/>\nwas dismissed, information describing the reason for the<br \/>\ndismissal.<br \/>\n(3) Information on each order of restitution entered<br \/>\npursuant to section 2421A(d) of title 18, United States Code,<br \/>\nincluding&#8211;<br \/>\n(A) whether the defendant was a corporation or an<br \/>\nindividual;<br \/>\n(B) the amount requested by the Government and the<br \/>\njustification for, and calculation of, the amount<br \/>\nrequested, if restitution was requested; and<br \/>\n(C) the amount ordered by the court and the<br \/>\njustification for, and calculation of, the amount<br \/>\nordered.<br \/>\n(4) For each defendant convicted of violating section<br \/>\n2421A(b) of title 18, United States Code, that was not ordered<br \/>\nto pay restitution&#8211;<br \/>\n(A) whether the defendant was a corporation or an<br \/>\nindividual;<br \/>\n(B) the amount requested by the Government, if<br \/>\nrestitution was requested; and<br \/>\n(C) information describing the reason that the court<br \/>\ndid not order restitution.<\/p>\n<p>Approved April 11, 2018.<\/p>\n<p>LEGISLATIVE HISTORY&#8211;H.R. 1865:<br \/>\n&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-572, Pt. 1 (Comm. on the Judiciary).<br \/>\nCONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):<br \/>\nFeb. 27, considered and passed House.<br \/>\nMar. 21, considered and passed Senate.<br \/>\nDAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2018):<br \/>\nApr. 11, Presidential remarks.<\/p>\n<p>&lt;all&gt;<\/p>\n<div class=\"social-share-buttons\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=6091\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=6091&text=Public+Law+115-164+%E2%80%93+Allow+States+and+Victims+to+Fight+Online+Sex+Trafficking+Act+of+2017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=6091&title=Public+Law+115-164+%E2%80%93+Allow+States+and+Victims+to+Fight+Online+Sex+Trafficking+Act+of+2017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=6091&description=Public+Law+115-164+%E2%80%93+Allow+States+and+Victims+to+Fight+Online+Sex+Trafficking+Act+of+2017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pinterest<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[115th Congress Public Law 164] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] PLAW 115publ164 [[Page 132 STAT. 1253]] Public Law 115-164 115th Congress An Act To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to clarify that section 230 of such Act does&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-p\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=6091\">Read more &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-public-and-private-laws-u-s"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6091"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6091\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6093,"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6091\/revisions\/6093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}