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HR 4065 113th Congress House Science, Technology, Communications Administrative law and regulatory procedures Computer security and identity theft Consumer affairs Crimes against property Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Telephone and wireless communication Trade restrictions

Smartphone Theft Prevention Act

Introduced: May 2, 2014 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) 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 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 21, 2014
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Feb 14, 2014
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Feb 14, 2014
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Smartphone Theft Prevention Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require commercial mobile service providers to make available on mobile devices a function that an account holder may use remotely to: (1) delete or render inaccessible all information relating to the account holder that has been placed on the device; (2) render the device inoperable on the global networks of such service providers, even if the device is turned off or has the data storage medium removed; (3) prevent the device from being reactivated or reprogrammed without a passcode or similar authorization after the device has been rendered inoperable or has been subject to an unauthorized factory reset; and (4) reverse any such actions if the device is recovered by the account holder.

Prohibits a mobile device from being manufactured in the United States or imported into the United States for sale or resale to the public, unless the device is configured in such a manner that a service provider may make such remote deletion and inoperability functions available on the device.

Allows the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to waive such requirements with respect to any low-cost mobile device that: (1) is intended primarily for voice-only mobile service, and (2) may have limited data consumption functions focused on text messaging or short message service.

Prohibits service providers from charging a fee for making such remote deletion and inoperability functions available.

What's happening now February 21, 2014

Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

 Related & companion bills 1
 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). H.R. 4065: Smartphone Theft Prevention Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4065/
MLA
"H.R. 4065: Smartphone Theft Prevention Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4065/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4065, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4065/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4065: Smartphone Theft Prevention Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4065/)
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