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HR 4204 105th Congress House Crime and Law Enforcement Commerce Drug abuse Drug law enforcement Drug traffic Informers Law Liability (Law) Products liability

Drug Dealer Liability Act of 1998

Introduced: July 14, 1998 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 23, 1998
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Jul 23, 1998
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.
Jul 14, 1998
Introduced in House
Jul 14, 1998
Referred to House Commerce
Jul 14, 1998
Referred to House Judiciary
Jul 14, 1998
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Drug Dealer Liability Act of 1998 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to provide that any person who manufactures or distributes a controlled substance shall be liable in a civil action to any party harmed, directly or indirectly, by the use of that substance.

Prohibits an individual user of a controlled substance from bringing or maintaining such an action unless the individual: (1) personally discloses to narcotic enforcement authorities all of the information known to that individual regarding all his or her sources of illegal controlled substances; (2) has not used an illegal controlled substance within 30 days before filing the action; and (3) continues to remain free of the use of an illegal controlled substance throughout the pendency of the action.

What's happening now July 23, 1998

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Republican 3
R
Aderholt, Robert B.
Alabama · Sep 25, 1998
 R
Calvert, Ken
California · Sep 17, 1998
 R
Sessions, Pete
Texas · Sep 15, 1998
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4204: Drug Dealer Liability Act of 1998. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4204/
MLA
"H.R. 4204: Drug Dealer Liability Act of 1998." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4204/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4204, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4204/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4204: Drug Dealer Liability Act of 1998](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4204/)
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