Protecting Against Child Exploitation Act of 2017

Summary: (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on May 22, 2017.  Protecting Against Child Exploitation Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill makes it a federal crime, subject to certain jurisdictional requirements, to: (1) knowingly produce or cause to be produced a visual depiction of a minor engaged in any sexually explicit conduct; (2) knowingly transmit a live depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct; (3) have a minor assist any other person in producing or transmitting a depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct; and (4) as parent or legal guardian, knowingly permit a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct knowing that a visual depiction of such conduct will be produced or transmitted. The bill removes the &quot;purpose&quot; requirement for certain offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children occurring outside of the United States or within its territories or possessions.  No criminal charges related to transmitting a live visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct may be brought against an electronic communication service provider or remote computing service provider unless such provider has intentionally transmitted the visual depiction with actual knowledge of its content.  (Sec. 3) Subject to certain exceptions, a civil claim or criminal charge against an electronic communication service provider, a remote computing service provider, or domain name registrar arising from the response to a search warrant or other legal process under various federal laws relating to sexual exploitation and other abuse of children may not be brought in any federal or state court. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Against Child 
Exploitation Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN.

    Section 2251 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:
    ``(a) Any person who, in a circumstance described in subsection 
(f), knowingly--
            ``(1) employs, uses, persuades, induces, entices, or 
        coerces a minor to engage in any sexually explicit conduct for 
        the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, 
        or transmitting a live visual depiction of such conduct;
            ``(2) produces or causes to be produced a visual depiction 
        of a minor engaged in any sexually explicit conduct where the 
        production of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor 
        engaging in sexually explicit conduct and such visual depiction 
        is of such conduct;
            ``(3) transmits or causes to be transmitted a live visual 
        depiction of a minor engaged in any sexually explicit conduct;
            ``(4) has a minor assist any other person to engage in any 
        sexually explicit conduct during the commission of an offense 
        set forth in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this subsection; or
            ``(5) transports any minor in or affecting interstate or 
        foreign commerce with the intent that such minor be used in the 
        production or live transmission of a visual depiction of a 
        minor engaged in any sexually explicit conduct,
shall be punished as provided under subsection (e).
    ``(b) Any parent, legal guardian, or person having custody or 
control of a minor who, in a circumstance described in subsection (f), 
knowingly permits such minor to engage in, or to assist any other 
person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct knowing that a visual 
depiction of such conduct will be produced or transmitted shall be 
punished as provided under subsection (e).'';
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``employs, uses, persuades, 
                        induces, entices, or coerces any minor to 
                        engage in, or who has a minor assist any other 
                        person to engage in, any sexually explicit 
                        conduct'' and inserting ``engages in any 
                        conduct described in paragraphs (1) through (5) 
                        of subsection (a)''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``, for the purpose of 
                        producing any visual depiction of such 
                        conduct,'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting after 
                ``transported'' the following: ``or transmitted''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting after 
                ``transports'' the following; ``or transmits'';
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) The circumstances referred to in subsections (a) and (b) 
are--
            ``(1) that the person knows or has reason to know that such 
        visual depiction will be--
                    ``(A) transported or transmitted using any means or 
                facility of interstate or foreign commerce;
                    ``(B) transported or transmitted in or affecting 
                interstate or foreign commerce; or
                    ``(C) mailed;
            ``(2) the visual depiction was produced or transmitted 
        using materials that have been mailed, or shipped or 
        transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by 
        any means, including by computer;
            ``(3) such visual depiction has actually been--
                    ``(A) transported or transmitted using any means or 
                facility of interstate or foreign commerce;
                    ``(B) transported or transmitted in or affecting 
                interstate or foreign commerce; or
                    ``(C) mailed; or
            ``(4) any part of the offense occurred in a territory or 
        possession of the United States or within the special maritime 
        and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
    ``(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no 
criminal charge under subsection (a)(3) may be brought against an 
electronic communication service provider or remote computing service 
provider unless such provider has intentionally transmitted or caused 
to be transmitted a visual depiction with actual knowledge that such 
depiction is of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, nor may 
any such criminal charge be brought if barred by the provisions of 
section 2258B.''.

SEC. 3. LIMITED LIABILITY FOR CERTAIN PERSONS WHEN RESPONDING TO SEARCH 
              WARRANTS OR OTHER LEGAL PROCESS.

    Section 2258B of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``from the response to 
        a search warrant or other legal process or'' before ``from the 
        performance''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(2)(C), by inserting ``the response to 
        a search warrant or other legal process or to'' before ``the 
        performance of any responsibility''.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 25, 2017.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.