Legis Daily

Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017

USA115th CongressS-1693| Senate 
| Updated: 1/10/2018
Rob Portman

Rob Portman

Republican Senator

Ohio

Cosponsors (70)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Dean Heller (Republican)Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Bill Cassidy (Republican)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Dan Sullivan (Republican)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Thomas Tillis (Republican)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)David Perdue (Republican)Mike Lee (Republican)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Jeff Flake (Republican)Kamala D. Harris (Democratic)Orrin G. Hatch (Republican)Todd Young (Republican)Thomas R. Carper (Democratic)Tom Cotton (Republican)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Heidi Heitkamp (Democratic)James M. Inhofe (Republican)Michael B. Enzi (Republican)Lindsey Graham (Republican)Roger F. Wicker (Republican)John McCain (Republican)John Boozman (Republican)Doug Jones (Democratic)Roy Blunt (Republican)Robert P. Casey (Democratic)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Joe Manchin (Independent)John Thune (Republican)Mike Rounds (Republican)Ted Cruz (Republican)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)Tim Scott (Republican)Ben Sasse (Republican)James Lankford (Republican)Christopher Murphy (Democratic)Bob Corker (Republican)Jon Tester (Democratic)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)John Kennedy (Republican)Bill Nelson (Democratic)Deb Fischer (Republican)Claire McCaskill (Democratic)John Barrasso (Republican)Johnny Isakson (Republican)Richard C. Shelby (Republican)Sherrod Brown (Democratic)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Pat Roberts (Republican)Thad Cochran (Republican)John Cornyn (Republican)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Robert Menendez (Democratic)Susan M. Collins (Republican)Chuck Grassley (Republican)Marco Rubio (Republican)Patrick Toomey (Republican)Cory Gardner (Republican)Steve Daines (Republican)John Hoeven (Republican)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)Lisa Murkowski (Republican)Richard Burr (Republican)Shelley Moore Capito (Republican)

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017 (Sec. 3) This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to specify that communications decency provisions protecting providers from liability for the private blocking or screening of offensive material shall not be construed to impair or limit civil action or criminal prosecution under state or federal criminal or civil laws relating to sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. (Sec. 4) The bill amends the federal criminal code to specify that the violation for benefiting from "participation in a venture" engaged in sex trafficking of children, or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, includes knowingly assisting, supporting, or facilitating the violation. (Sec. 5) The bill amends the federal criminal code to allow a state attorney general to bring a civil action in U.S. district court on behalf of the state's residents if the attorney general believes an interest of the residents has been or is threatened or adversely affected by any person who knowingly participates in the sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

Bill Text Versions

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Timeline
Aug 1, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Aug 1, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4670-4671)
Sep 19, 2017
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-590.
Nov 8, 2017
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jan 10, 2018
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-199.
Jan 10, 2018
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.
  • August 1, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • August 1, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4670-4671)


  • September 19, 2017
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-590.


  • November 8, 2017
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • January 10, 2018
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-199.


  • January 10, 2018
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.

Crime and Law Enforcement

Related Bills

  • HR 115-1865: Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017
Civil actions and liabilityCrimes against childrenCrime victimsCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationHuman traffickingInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaPornographySex offenses

Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017

USA115th CongressS-1693| Senate 
| Updated: 1/10/2018
Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017 (Sec. 3) This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to specify that communications decency provisions protecting providers from liability for the private blocking or screening of offensive material shall not be construed to impair or limit civil action or criminal prosecution under state or federal criminal or civil laws relating to sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. (Sec. 4) The bill amends the federal criminal code to specify that the violation for benefiting from "participation in a venture" engaged in sex trafficking of children, or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, includes knowingly assisting, supporting, or facilitating the violation. (Sec. 5) The bill amends the federal criminal code to allow a state attorney general to bring a civil action in U.S. district court on behalf of the state's residents if the attorney general believes an interest of the residents has been or is threatened or adversely affected by any person who knowingly participates in the sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Aug 1, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Aug 1, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4670-4671)
Sep 19, 2017
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-590.
Nov 8, 2017
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jan 10, 2018
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-199.
Jan 10, 2018
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.
  • August 1, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • August 1, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4670-4671)


  • September 19, 2017
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-590.


  • November 8, 2017
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • January 10, 2018
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-199.


  • January 10, 2018
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.
Rob Portman

Rob Portman

Republican Senator

Ohio

Cosponsors (70)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Dean Heller (Republican)Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Bill Cassidy (Republican)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Dan Sullivan (Republican)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Thomas Tillis (Republican)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)David Perdue (Republican)Mike Lee (Republican)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Jeff Flake (Republican)Kamala D. Harris (Democratic)Orrin G. Hatch (Republican)Todd Young (Republican)Thomas R. Carper (Democratic)Tom Cotton (Republican)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Heidi Heitkamp (Democratic)James M. Inhofe (Republican)Michael B. Enzi (Republican)Lindsey Graham (Republican)Roger F. Wicker (Republican)John McCain (Republican)John Boozman (Republican)Doug Jones (Democratic)Roy Blunt (Republican)Robert P. Casey (Democratic)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Joe Manchin (Independent)John Thune (Republican)Mike Rounds (Republican)Ted Cruz (Republican)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)Tim Scott (Republican)Ben Sasse (Republican)James Lankford (Republican)Christopher Murphy (Democratic)Bob Corker (Republican)Jon Tester (Democratic)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)John Kennedy (Republican)Bill Nelson (Democratic)Deb Fischer (Republican)Claire McCaskill (Democratic)John Barrasso (Republican)Johnny Isakson (Republican)Richard C. Shelby (Republican)Sherrod Brown (Democratic)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Pat Roberts (Republican)Thad Cochran (Republican)John Cornyn (Republican)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Robert Menendez (Democratic)Susan M. Collins (Republican)Chuck Grassley (Republican)Marco Rubio (Republican)Patrick Toomey (Republican)Cory Gardner (Republican)Steve Daines (Republican)John Hoeven (Republican)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)Lisa Murkowski (Republican)Richard Burr (Republican)Shelley Moore Capito (Republican)

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Crime and Law Enforcement

Related Bills

  • HR 115-1865: Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Civil actions and liabilityCrimes against childrenCrime victimsCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationHuman traffickingInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaPornographySex offenses