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HR 97 106th Congress House Crime and Law Enforcement Arts, Culture, Religion Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Civil actions and liability Commerce Damages Fines (Penalties) Government Operations and Politics Homicide Injunctions Law Liability (Law) Murder Photography Press Punitive damages Right of privacy Science, Technology, Communications Sentences (Criminal procedure) Sound recording and reproducing

Personal Privacy Protection Act

Introduced: January 6, 1999 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 106th Congress ended
It never became law before the 106th Congress (1999–2000) 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 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 25, 1999
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.
Jan 6, 1999
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 6, 1999
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E8)
Jan 6, 1999
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Personal Privacy Protection Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to provide that whoever, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce and for commercial purposes, persistently follows or chases a person in a manner that causes that person to have a reasonable fear of bodily injury, in order to capture by a visual or auditory recording instrument any type of visual image, sound recording, or other physical impression of that person, shall: (1) if death or serious bodily injury results, be fined, imprisoned, or both; and (2) be liable in a civil action for appropriate relief.

Provides for civil liability of anyone who, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce and for commercial purposes, engages in a tortious invasion of the privacy of another person in order to capture by a visual or auditory recording instrument any type of visual image, sound recording, or other physical impression of that person.

Specifies that: (1) it shall not be a defense to a prosecution or civil action that no image or recording was captured or sold; and (2) only a person physically present at the time of, and engaging or assisting another in engaging in, a violation is subject to criminal charge or civil liability under this Act.

Makes this Act's prohibitions inapplicable to official law enforcement activities.

What's happening now February 25, 1999

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · Sep 9, 1999
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 97: Personal Privacy Protection Act. 106th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-97/
MLA
"H.R. 97: Personal Privacy Protection Act." 106th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-97/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 97, 106th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-97/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 97: Personal Privacy Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-97/)
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