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S. 1296 115th Congress Senate

PRIVATE Act

Official title: A bill to amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice to prohibit the wrongful broadcast or distribution of intimate visual images.

Introduced: June 6, 2017 See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security Assault and harassment offensesBroadcasting, cable, digital technologiesMilitary lawPhotography and imaging
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Right of privacySex offenses
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This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) 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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 6, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Jun 6, 2017
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action June 6, 2017

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Protecting the Rights of IndiViduals Against Technological Exploitation Act or the PRIVATE Act

This bill amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice to prohibit a person from knowingly and wrongfully broadcasting or distributing an intimate visual image of a private area of another individual who is at least 18 years old, who is identifiable from the image or from information displayed in connection with the image, and who does not explicitly consent, if the person knows or reasonably should have known that:

  • the image was made under circumstances in which the individual depicted retained a reasonable expectation of privacy regarding any broadcast or distribution of such image; and
  • the broadcast or distribution of the intimate visual image is likely to cause harm, harassment, intimidation, emotional distress, or financial loss for the individual depicted or to harm substantially the depicted individual's health, safety, business, calling, career, financial condition, reputation, or personal relationships.

The perpetrator of such offense is guilty of wrongful distribution of intimate visual images and shall by punished as a court-martial may direct.

 Related & companion bills 2
  • HR 2810 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018
  • S 1519 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Ernst, Joni
Iowa · Jun 6, 2017
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1296: PRIVATE Act. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1296/
MLA
"S. 1296: PRIVATE Act." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1296/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1296, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1296/.
Markdown link
[S. 1296: PRIVATE Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1296/)
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