I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 10228 

To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the punishment for 

certian offenses committed in a school zone, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 21, 2024 

Mr. MCCAUL (for himself, Mrs. LEE CARTER, Mr. NADLER, Mr. DONALDS, 

Mr. HUNT, Ms. VAN DUYNE, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. CARTER of 

Texas, and Mr. MOYLAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the 

punishment for certian offenses committed in a school 

zone, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sheila Jackson Lee 

5 Stop Human Trafficking in School Zones Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR HUMAN TRAF7 FICKING IN SCHOOL ZONES. 

8 Section 1591 of title 18, United States Code, is 

9 amended— 


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1 (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub2 section (f); and 

3 (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the fol4 lowing: 

5 ‘‘(e)(1) Whoever violates subsection (a) knowing, or 

6 having reasonable cause to believe, that the violation is 

7 committed against a minor who, at the time of the viola8 tion— 

9 ‘‘(A) is enrolled in school and is— 

10 ‘‘(i) within a school zone; or 

11 ‘‘(ii) on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises 

12 on which a school-sponsored activity is taking 

13 place; or 

14 ‘‘(B) is enrolled in an institution of higher edu15 cation and is on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises 

16 owned by the institution of higher education, 

17 shall, in addition to the punishment otherwise provided 

18 under subsection (b), be imprisoned for not more than 5 

19 years, which shall run consecutively to any term of impris20 onment imposed under such subsection (b). 

21 ‘‘(2) In this subsection: 

22 ‘‘(A) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 

23 has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 

24 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

25 1001). 


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1 ‘‘(B) The term ‘minor’ means a person who has 

2 not attained 18 years of age. 

3 ‘‘(C) The terms ‘school’ and ‘school zone’ have 

4 the meanings given those terms in section 921. 

5 ‘‘(D) The term ‘school-sponsored activity’ 

6 means any activity that is produced, financed, ar7 ranged, supervised, or coordinated by a school or a 

8 State educational agency or local educational agency 

9 or is under the jurisdiction of a State educational 

10 agency or local educational agency. 

11 ‘‘(E) The terms ‘State educational agency’ and 

12 ‘local educational agency’ have the meanings given 

13 those terms under section 8101 of the Elementary 

14 and Secondary Education Act of 1965.’’. 

15 SEC. 3. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR COERCION AND EN16 TICEMENT IN SCHOOL ZONES. 

17 Section 2422 of title 18, United States Code, is 

18 amended by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(c)(1) Whoever violates subsection (a) or (b) know20 ing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that the viola21 tion is committed against a minor who, at the time of the 

22 violation— 

23 ‘‘(A) is enrolled in school and is— 

24 ‘‘(i) within a school zone; or 


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1 ‘‘(ii) on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises 

2 on which a school-sponsored activity is taking 

3 place; or 

4 ‘‘(B) is enrolled in an institution of higher edu5 cation and is on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises 

6 owned by the institution of higher education, 

7 shall, in addition to the punishment otherwise provided 

8 under this section, be imprisoned for not more than 5 

9 years, which shall run consecutively to any term of impris10 onment imposed under this section. 

11 ‘‘(2) In this subsection: 

12 ‘‘(A) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 

13 has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 

14 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

15 1001). 

16 ‘‘(B) The term ‘minor’ means a person who has 

17 not attained 18 years of age. 

18 ‘‘(C) The terms ‘school’ and ‘school zone’ have 

19 the meanings given those terms in section 921. 

20 ‘‘(D) The term ‘school-sponsored activity’ 

21 means any activity that is produced, financed, ar22 ranged, supervised, or coordinated by a school or a 

23 State educational agency or local educational agency 

24 or is under the jurisdiction of a State educational 

25 agency or local educational agency. 


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1 ‘‘(E) The terms ‘State educational agency’ and 

2 ‘local educational agency’ have the meanings given 

3 those terms under section 8101 of the Elementary 

4 and Secondary Education Act of 1965.’’. 

5 SEC. 4. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR TRANSFER OF OB6 SCENE MATERIAL TO MINORS IN A SCHOOL 

7 ZONE. 

8 Section 1470 of title 18, United States Code, is 

9 amended— 

10 (1) by striking ‘‘Whoever’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘(a)Whoever’’ ; and 

12 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘(b)(1) Whoever violates this section knowing, or 

14 having reasonable cause to believe, that the violation is 

15 committed against a minor who, at the time of the viola16 tion— 

17 ‘‘(A) is enrolled in school and is— 

18 ‘‘(i) within a school zone; or 

19 ‘‘(ii) on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises 

20 on which a school-sponsored activity is taking 

21 place; or 

22 ‘‘(B) is enrolled in an institution of higher edu23 cation and is on or within 1,000 feet of a premises 

24 owned by the institution of higher education, 


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1 shall, in addition to the punishment otherwise provided 

2 under this section, be imprisoned for not more than 5 

3 years, which shall run consecutively to any term of impris4 onment imposed under this section. 

5 ‘‘(2) In this subsection: 

6 ‘‘(A) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 

7 has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 

8 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

9 1001). 

10 ‘‘(B) The term ‘minor’ means a person who has 

11 not attained 16 years of age. 

12 ‘‘(C) The terms ‘school’ and ‘school zone’ have 

13 the meanings given such terms in section 921. 

14 ‘‘(D) The term ‘school-sponsored activity’ 

15 means any activity that is produced, financed, ar16 ranged, supervised, or coordinated by a school or a 

17 State educational agency or local educational agency 

18 or is under the jurisdiction of a State educational 

19 agency or local educational agency. 

20 ‘‘(E) The terms ‘State educational agency’ and 

21 ‘local educational agency’ have the meanings given 

22 those terms under section 8101 of the Elementary 

23 and Secondary Education Act of 1965.’’. 


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1 SEC. 5. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR TRAFFICKING IN A 

2 SCHOOL ZONE. 

3 Section 1590 of title 18, United States Code, is 

4 amended by adding at the end the following: 

5 ‘‘(c)(1) Whoever violates subsection (a) or (b) know6 ing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that the viola7 tion is committed against a minor, who, at the time of 

8 the violation— 

9 ‘‘(A) is enrolled in school and is— 

10 ‘‘(i) within a school zone; or 

11 ‘‘(ii) on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises 

12 on which a school-sponsored activity is taking 

13 place; or 

14 ‘‘(B) is enrolled in an institution of higher edu15 cation and is on or within 1,000 feet of a premises 

16 owned by the institution of higher education, 

17 shall, in addition to the punishment otherwise pro18 vided under subsection (a), be imprisoned for not 

19 more than 5 years, which shall run consecutively to 

20 any term of imprisonment imposed under such sub21 section (a). 

22 ‘‘(2) In this subsection: 

23 ‘‘(A) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 

24 has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 

25 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

26 1001). 


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1 ‘‘(B) The term ‘minor’ means a person who has 

2 not attained 18 years of age. 

3 ‘‘(C) The terms ‘school’ and ‘school zone’ have 

4 the meanings given those terms in section 921. 

5 ‘‘(D) The term ‘school-sponsored activity’ 

6 means any activity that is produced, financed, ar7 ranged, supervised, or coordinated by a school or a 

8 State educational agency or local educational agency 

9 or is under the jurisdiction of a State educational 

10 agency or local educational agency. 

11 ‘‘(E) The terms ‘State educational agency’ and 

12 ‘local educational agency’ have the meanings given 

13 those terms under section 8101 of the Elementary 

14 and Secondary Education Act of 1965.’’. 

15 SEC. 6. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR AGGRAVATED SEX16 UAL ABUSE IN A SCHOOL ZONE. 

17 Section 2241 of title 18, United States Code, is 

18 amended by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(e)(1) VIOLATION IN SCHOOL ZONE OR INSTITU20 TION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—Whoever violates sub21 section (c) knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, 

22 that the violation is committed against a minor, who, at 

23 the time of the violation— 

24 ‘‘(A) is enrolled in school and is— 

25 ‘‘(i) within a school zone; or 


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1 ‘‘(ii) on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises 

2 on which a school-sponsored activity is taking 

3 place; or 

4 ‘‘(B) is enrolled in an institution of higher edu5 cation and is on or within 1,000 feet of a premises 

6 owned by the institution of higher education, 

7 shall, in addition to the punishment otherwise pro8 vided under such subsection (c), be imprisoned for 

9 not more than 5 years, which shall run consecutively 

10 to any term of imprisonment imposed under such 

11 subsection (c). 

12 ‘‘(2) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

13 ‘‘(A) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 

14 has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 

15 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

16 1001). 

17 ‘‘(B) The term ‘minor’ means a person who has 

18 not attained 16 years of age. 

19 ‘‘(C) The terms ‘school’ and ‘school zone’ have 

20 the meanings given those terms in section 921. 

21 ‘‘(D) The term ‘school-sponsored activity’ 

22 means any activity that is produced, financed, ar23 ranged, supervised, or coordinated by a school or a 

24 State educational agency or local educational agency 


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1 or is under the jurisdiction of a State educational 

2 agency or local educational agency. 

3 ‘‘(E) The terms ‘State educational agency’ and 

4 ‘local educational agency’ have the meanings given 

5 those terms under section 8101 of the Elementary 

6 and Secondary Education Act of 1965.’’. 

7 SEC. 7. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR SEXUAL EXPLOI8 TATION OF CHILDREN IN A SCHOOL ZONE. 

9 Section 2251 of title 18, United States Code is 

10 amended by adding at the end the following: 

11 ‘‘(f)(1) Whoever violates subsection (a) knowing, or 

12 having reasonable cause to believe, that the violation is 

13 committed against a minor, who, at the time of the viola14 tion— 

15 ‘‘(A) is enrolled in school and is— 

16 ‘‘(i) within a school zone; or 

17 ‘‘(ii) on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises 

18 on which a school-sponsored activity is taking 

19 place; or 

20 ‘‘(B) is enrolled in an institution of higher edu21 cation and is on or within 1,000 feet of a premises 

22 owned by the institution of higher education, 

23 shall, in addition to the punishment otherwise pro24 vided under subsection (e), be imprisoned for not 

25 more than 5 years, which shall run consecutively to 


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1 any term of imprisonment imposed under such sub2 section (e). 

3 ‘‘(2) In this subsection: 

4 ‘‘(A) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 

5 has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 

6 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

7 1001). 

8 ‘‘(B) The term ‘minor’ means a person who has 

9 not attained 18 years of age. 

10 ‘‘(C) The terms ‘school’ and ‘school zone’ have 

11 the meanings given those term in section 921. 

12 ‘‘(D) The term ‘school-sponsored activity’ 

13 means any activity that is produced, financed, ar14 ranged, supervised, or coordinated by a school or a 

15 State educational agency or local educational agency 

16 or is under the jurisdiction of a State educational 

17 agency or local educational agency. 

18 ‘‘(E) The terms ‘State educational agency’ and 

19 ‘local educational agency’ have the meanings given 

20 those terms under section 8101 of the Elementary 

21 and Secondary Education Act of 1965.’’. 


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1 SEC. 8. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION 

2 OF MINORS TO AND FROM A SCHOOL ZONE 

3 TO ENGAGE IN CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY. 

4 Section 2423 of title 18, United States Code, is 

5 amended by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(j)(1) VIOLATION IN SCHOOL ZONE OR INSTITU7 TION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—Whoever violates sub8 section (a) by transporting a minor— 

9 ‘‘(A) who is enrolled in school— 

10 ‘‘(i) to or from any school; or 

11 ‘‘(ii) to or from a premises on which a 

12 school-sponsored activity is taking place; or 

13 ‘‘(B) who is enrolled in an institution of higher 

14 education, to or from a premises owned by the insti15 tution of higher education, 

16 shall, in addition to the punishment otherwise pro17 vided under such subsection (a), be imprisoned for 

18 not more than 5 years, which shall run consecutively 

19 to any term of imprisonment imposed under such 

20 subsection (a). 

21 ‘‘(2) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

22 ‘‘(A) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 

23 has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 

24 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

25 1001). 


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1 ‘‘(B) The term ‘minor’ means a person who has 

2 not attained 18 years of age. 

3 ‘‘(C) The terms ‘school’ and ‘school zone’ have 

4 the meanings given those terms in section 921. 

5 ‘‘(D) The term ‘school-sponsored activity’ 

6 means any activity that is produced, financed, ar7 ranged, supervised, or coordinated by a school or a 

8 State educational agency or local educational agency 

9 or is under the jurisdiction of a State educational 

10 agency or local educational agency. 

11 ‘‘(E) The terms ‘State educational agency’ and 

12 ‘local educational agency’ have the meanings given 

13 those terms under section 8101 of the Elementary 

14 and Secondary Education Act of 1965.’’ 

Æ 


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