HR 1865 115th Congress House Crime and Law Enforcement Civil actions and liability Crime victims Crimes against children Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation Human trafficking Internet and video services Internet, web applications, social media Pornography Sex offenses

Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017

Introduced: September 14, 2017 Introduced by: Wagner, Ann Republican · Missouri See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 47 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Apr 11, 2018

Became Public Law No: 115-164.

Apr 11, 2018

Signed by President.

Apr 3, 2018

Presented to President.

Mar 21, 2018

Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1849-1872)

Mar 21, 2018

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Mar 21, 2018

Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 97 - 2. Record Vote Number: 60.

Mar 21, 2018

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 97 - 2. Record Vote Number: 60.

Mar 20, 2018

Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1801)

Mar 19, 2018

Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 94 - 2. Record Vote Number: 57. (CR S1780)

Mar 19, 2018

Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1773)

Mar 19, 2018

Senate vitiated previous cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1780-1784)

Mar 15, 2018

Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1742)

Mar 14, 2018

Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate.

Mar 14, 2018

Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S1731)

Mar 1, 2018

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 339.

Feb 28, 2018

Received in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

Feb 27, 2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 748, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Goodlatte amendment No. 1.

Feb 27, 2018

GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 1865.

Feb 27, 2018

The Speaker designated the Honorable Jeff Denham to act as Chairman of the Committee.

Feb 27, 2018

House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 748 and Rule XVIII.

Feb 27, 2018

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1865. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1865 under a structured rule with one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary. The rule makes in order an amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary printed in the bill. The rule also provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

Feb 27, 2018

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Mimi Walters amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Ms. Lofgren demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

Feb 27, 2018

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Feb 27, 2018

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 388 - 25 (Roll no. 91).

Feb 27, 2018

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

Feb 27, 2018

The House adopted the amendments en gross as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

Feb 27, 2018

The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1865.

Feb 27, 2018

UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of an amendment which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

Feb 27, 2018

The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.

Feb 27, 2018

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1317-1319)

Feb 27, 2018

Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 1865 as unfinished business.

Feb 27, 2018

On motion that the Committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.

Feb 27, 2018

Mrs. Roby moved that the Committee rise.

Feb 27, 2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 748, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Jackson Lee amendment No. 3.

Feb 27, 2018

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 748. (consideration: CR H1290-1305; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H1301)

Feb 27, 2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 748, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Mrs. Mimi Walters (CA) amendment No. 2.

Feb 27, 2018

Rule H. Res. 748 passed House.

Feb 26, 2018

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 748 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1865. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1865 under a structured rule with one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary. The rule makes in order an amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary printed in the bill. The rule also provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

Feb 20, 2018

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 432.

Feb 20, 2018

Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.

Feb 20, 2018

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 115-572, Part I.

Dec 12, 2017

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Dec 12, 2017

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Apr 26, 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Apr 7, 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Apr 3, 2017

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.

Apr 3, 2017

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 1

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Feb 27, 2018	House · vote #91	On Passage	Passed	388–25	See who voted →

Amendments to this bill 5

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

3 agreed to 2 pending / other

Amendment	Sponsor	Purpose	Status	Latest action
SAMDT 2,213	Wyden, Ron	To provide additional funding to the Department of Justice to combat the online facilitation of sex trafficki…	Ruled out of order	Mar 21, 2018
SAMDT 2,212	Wyden, Ron	To clarify that efforts of a provider or user of an interactive computer service to identify, restrict access…	Withdrawn	Mar 21, 2018
HAMDT 527	—	An amendment numbered 3 printed in House Report 115-583 to request a GAO study of: (1) civil damages claimed …	Agreed to	Feb 27, 2018
HAMDT 526	—	Amendment allows enforcement of criminal and civil sex trafficking laws against websites that knowingly facil…	Agreed to	Feb 27, 2018
HAMDT 525	—	An amendment numbered 1 printed in House Report 115-583 to make technical changes to the bill, add 'attempt' …	Agreed to	Feb 27, 2018

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Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017

(Sec. 2) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 was not intended to provide legal protection to websites that unlawfully promote and facilitate prostitution and websites that facilitate traffickers in advertising the sale of unlawful sex acts with sex trafficking victims. Section 230 limits the legal liability of interactive computer service providers or users for content they publish that was created by others.

(Sec. 3) The bill amends the federal criminal code to add a new section that imposes penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both—on a person who, using a facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce, owns, manages, or operates an interactive computer service (or attempts or conspires to do so) to promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person.

Additionally, it establishes enhanced penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 25 years, or both—for a person who commits the offense in one of the following aggravating circumstances: (1) promotes or facilitates the prostitution of five or more persons, or (2) acts with reckless disregard that such conduct contributes to sex trafficking.

A person injured by an aggravated offense may recover damages and attorneys' fees in a federal civil action.

A court must order mandatory restitution, in addition to other criminal or civil penalties, for an aggravated offense in which a person acts with reckless disregard that such conduct contributes to sex trafficking.

A defendant may assert, as an affirmative defense, that the promotion or facilitation of prostitution is legal in the jurisdiction where it was targeted.

(Sec. 4) The bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to declare that section 230 does not limit: (1) a federal civil claim for conduct that constitutes sex trafficking, (2) a federal criminal charge for conduct that constitutes sex trafficking, or (3) a state criminal charge for conduct that promotes or facilitates prostitution in violation of this bill.

The amendments apply regardless of whether alleged conduct occurs before, on, or after this bill's enactment.

(Sec. 5) The bill amends the federal criminal code to define a phrase related to the prohibition on sex trafficking. Currently, it a crime to knowingly benefit from participation in a venture that engages in sex trafficking. This bill defines "participation in a venture" to mean knowingly assisting, supporting, or facilitating a sex trafficking violation.

(Sec. 6) A state may file a federal civil action to enforce federal sex trafficking violations.

(Sec. 7) This section states that this bill does not limit federal or state civil actions or criminal prosecutions that are not preempted by section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934.

(Sec. 8) The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on information related to damages and mandatory restitution for aggravated offenses under this bill.

What's happening now April 11, 2018

Became Public Law No: 115-164.

Related & companion bills 2

Bill text 6 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Enrolled Bill Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Placed on Calendar Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Public Law Formatted Text PDF United States Legislative Markup
Reported in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 4

Communications and Technology Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Energy and Commerce Committee
Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
Energy and Commerce Committee
House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 116

Calvert, Ken

California · Dec 19, 2017

Costa, Jim

California · Dec 11, 2017

Wasserman Schultz, Debbie

Florida · Nov 13, 2017

CULBERSON, JOHN

· Oct 25, 2017

Lucas, Frank D.

Oklahoma · Oct 25, 2017

Velázquez, Nydia M.

New York · Oct 25, 2017

Kustoff, David

Tennessee · Oct 24, 2017

Knight, Stephen

· Oct 23, 2017

Marshall, Roger

Kansas · Oct 23, 2017

Kentucky · Oct 11, 2017

Georgia · Oct 3, 2017

Tennessee · Sep 25, 2017

FRELINGHUYSEN, RODNEY

· Sep 25, 2017

Norton, Eleanor Holmes

District of Columbia · Sep 25, 2017

Aderholt, Robert B.

Alabama · Sep 14, 2017

Blackburn, Marsha

Tennessee · Sep 14, 2017

Curbelo, Carlos

· Sep 14, 2017

DesJarlais, Scott

Tennessee · Sep 14, 2017

Hultgren, Randy

· Sep 14, 2017

Kelly, Mike

Pennsylvania · Sep 14, 2017

South Carolina · Sep 14, 2017

Espaillat, Adriano

New York · Sep 13, 2017

Keating, William R.

Massachusetts · Sep 13, 2017

Titus, Dina

Nevada · Sep 13, 2017

McGovern, James P.

Massachusetts · Sep 7, 2017

Davis, Danny K.

Illinois · Sep 6, 2017

Louisiana · Sep 6, 2017

Fitzpatrick, Brian K.

Pennsylvania · Aug 4, 2017

New York · Aug 4, 2017

Rothfus, Keith

· Aug 1, 2017

Adams, Alma S.

North Carolina · Jul 28, 2017

Bilirakis, Gus M.

Florida · Jul 28, 2017

Bishop, Sanford D.

Georgia · Jul 28, 2017

Black, Diane

· Jul 28, 2017

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1865: Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-1865/

MLA

"H.R. 1865: Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-1865/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 1865, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-1865/.

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