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S 739 117th Congress Senate Crime and Law Enforcement Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation Evidence and witnesses

Mens Rea Reform Act of 2021

Introduced: March 11, 2021 Introduced by: Lee, Mike Republican · Utah See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) 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
Mar 11, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mar 11, 2021
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Mens Rea Reform Act of 2021

This bill establishes a default mens rea standard (i.e., state of mind requirement) for federal criminal offenses—statutory and regulatory—that lack an explicit standard.

The government must generally prove that a defendant acted willfully with respect to each element of an offense for which the text does not specify a state of mind.

What's happening now March 11, 2021

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Republican 2
R
Paul, Rand
Kentucky · Mar 11, 2021
 R
Tillis, Thomas
North Carolina · Mar 11, 2021
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 739: Mens Rea Reform Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-739/
MLA
"S. 739: Mens Rea Reform Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-739/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 739, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-739/.
Markdown link
[S. 739: Mens Rea Reform Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-739/)
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