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Honesty in Sweepstakes Act of 1999

Introduced: January 22, 1999 See on congress.gov
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
Mar 8, 1999
Referred to Subcommittee on International Security.
Jan 22, 1999
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
Jan 22, 1999
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S923-924)
Jan 22, 1999
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Honesty in Sweepstakes Act of 1999 - Amends Federal postal law to prohibit, unless specified notices in a specified font are printed on the envelope, enclosed material, or face of the order entry device, delivery of any mail constituting a solicitation, offer, or sweepstakes in connection with a sales promotion for a product or service: (1) that includes the chance or opportunity to win anything of value if such mail contains words or symbols that suggest that the recipient has received or will receive anything of value if the recipient has in fact not won that thing of value; (2) that states that the recipient is likely to receive anything of value if statistically the recipient is not likely to receive anything of value; or (3) resembling a negotiable instrument.

Prescribes civil penalties for any person who, through the use of the mail, sends any matter which is nonmailable under Federal postal law. Deposits such penalties into the Postal Service Fund (currently, the Treasury).

Expresses the sense of the Congress that civil penalties collected through the enforcement of this Act should be allocated by the Postal Service to increase consumer awareness of misleading solicitations received through the mail, including releasing an annual listing of the top ten offenders of this Act.

States that nothing in this Act shall preempt any State law that regulates advertising or sales of goods and services associated with any game of chance.

What's happening now March 8, 1999

Referred to Subcommittee on International Security.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 301: Honesty in Sweepstakes Act of 1999. 106th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-301/
MLA
"S. 301: Honesty in Sweepstakes Act of 1999." 106th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-301/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 301, 106th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-301/.
Markdown link
[S. 301: Honesty in Sweepstakes Act of 1999](https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-301/)
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