S. 1693 115th Congress Senate

Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017

Official title: A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to clarify that section 230 of that Act does not prohibit the enforcement against providers and users of interac… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to clarify that section 230 of that Act does not prohibit the enforcement against providers and users of interactive computer services of Federal and State criminal and civil law relating to sex trafficking.

Introduced: September 25, 2017 See on congress.gov

Crime and Law Enforcement Civil actions and liabilityCrime victimsCrimes against childrenCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

More subjectsShow fewer subjects

Human traffickingInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaPornographySex offenses

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Everywhere this bill has been 6 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jan 10, 2018

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.

Jan 10, 2018

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-199.

Nov 8, 2017

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Sep 19, 2017

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-590.

Aug 1, 2017

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4670-4671)

Aug 1, 2017

Introduced in Senate

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Latest action January 10, 2018

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017

(Sec. 3) This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to specify that communications decency provisions protecting providers from liability for the private blocking or screening of offensive material shall not be construed to impair or limit civil action or criminal prosecution under state or federal criminal or civil laws relating to sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

(Sec. 4) The bill amends the federal criminal code to specify that the violation for benefiting from "participation in a venture" engaged in sex trafficking of children, or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, includes knowingly assisting, supporting, or facilitating the violation.

(Sec. 5) The bill amends the federal criminal code to allow a state attorney general to bring a civil action in U.S. district court on behalf of the state's residents if the attorney general believes an interest of the residents has been or is threatened or adversely affected by any person who knowingly participates in the sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

Related & companion bills 1

Bill text 2 versions

Introduced in Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Reported to Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 1

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Senate

Cosponsors 42

Murphy, Christopher

Connecticut · Jan 16, 2018

Daines, Steve

Montana · Jan 11, 2018

Wicker, Roger F.

Mississippi · Jan 8, 2018

Young, Todd

Indiana · Jan 4, 2018

Boozman, John

Arkansas · Jan 3, 2018

Rounds, Mike

South Dakota · Jan 3, 2018

Gillibrand, Kirsten E.

New York · Dec 14, 2017

Ernst, Joni

Iowa · Dec 5, 2017

Whitehouse, Sheldon

Rhode Island · Nov 30, 2017

Coons, Christopher A.

Delaware · Nov 28, 2017

Thune, John

South Dakota · Nov 27, 2017

Toomey, Patrick

· Nov 8, 2017

Van Hollen, Chris

Maryland · Nov 8, 2017

Barrasso, John

Wyoming · Nov 7, 2017

Grassley, Chuck

Iowa · Nov 7, 2017

Booker, Cory A.

New Jersey · Nov 6, 2017

Cortez Masto, Catherine

North Carolina · Oct 23, 2017

Cassidy, Bill

Louisiana · Oct 17, 2017

Cotton, Tom

Arkansas · Oct 5, 2017

Scott, Tim

South Carolina · Oct 5, 2017

Burr, Richard

· Sep 25, 2017

Durbin, Richard J.

Illinois · Sep 25, 2017

Duckworth, Tammy

Illinois · Sep 19, 2017

Fischer, Deb

Nebraska · Sep 19, 2017

Hassan, Margaret Wood

New Hampshire · Sep 18, 2017

Kennedy, John

Louisiana · Aug 2, 2017

Sullivan, Dan

Alaska · Aug 2, 2017

Blumenthal, Richard

Connecticut · Aug 1, 2017

Capito, Shelley Moore

West Virginia · Aug 1, 2017

South Carolina · Aug 1, 2017

Hoeven, John

North Dakota · Aug 1, 2017

Isakson, Johnny

· Aug 1, 2017

Klobuchar, Amy

Minnesota · Aug 1, 2017

Lankford, James

Oklahoma · Aug 1, 2017

New Hampshire · Aug 1, 2017

Cite this page click to expand

APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1693: Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1693/

MLA

"S. 1693: Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1693/.

Bluebook (legal)

S. 1693, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1693/.

Markdown link

[S. 1693: Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1693/)