PUBLIC LAW 115–126—FEB. 14, 2018 

PROTECTING YOUNG VICTIMS FROM 

SEXUAL ABUSE AND SAFE SPORT 

AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2017 


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132 STAT. 318 PUBLIC LAW 115–126—FEB. 14, 2018 

Public Law 115–126 

115th Congress 

An Act 

To prevent the sexual abuse of minors and amateur athletes by requiring the 

prompt reporting of sexual abuse to law enforcement authorities, and for other 

purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting 

Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization 

Act of 2017’’. 

(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of this Act 

is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

TITLE I—PROTECTING YOUNG VICTIMS FROM SEXUAL ABUSE 

Sec. 101. Required reporting of child and sexual abuse. 

Sec. 102. Civil remedy for personal injuries. 

TITLE II—UNITED STATES CENTER FOR SAFE SPORT AUTHORIZATION 

Sec. 201. Expansion of the purposes of the corporation. 

Sec. 202. Designation of the United States Center for Safe Sport. 

Sec. 203. Additional requirements for granting sanctions for amateur athletic competitions. 

Sec. 204. General requirements for youth-serving amateur sports organizations. 

TITLE I—PROTECTING YOUNG VICTIMS 

FROM SEXUAL ABUSE 

SEC. 101. REQUIRED REPORTING OF CHILD AND SEXUAL ABUSE. 

(a) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Section 226 of the Victims of 

Child Abuse Act of 1990 (34 U.S.C. 20341) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (a)— 

(A) by striking ‘‘A person who’’ and inserting the following: 

‘‘(1) COVERED PROFESSIONALS.—A person who’’; and 

(B) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(2) COVERED INDIVIDUALS.—A covered individual who 

learns of facts that give reason to suspect that a child has 

suffered an incident of child abuse, including sexual abuse, 

shall as soon as possible make a report of the suspected abuse 

to the agency designated by the Attorney General under subsection (d).’’; 

(2) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph 

(1), by striking ‘‘subsection (a)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (a)(1)’’; 

36 USC 101 note. 

Protecting Young 

Victims from 

Sexual Abuse 

and Safe Sport 

Authorization 

Act of 2017. 

Feb. 14, 2018 

[S. 534] 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–126—FEB. 14, 2018 132 STAT. 319 

(3) in subsection (c)— 

(A) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

(B) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the 

end and inserting a semicolon; and 

(C) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(9) the term ‘covered individual’ means an adult who is 

authorized, by a national governing body, a member of a 

national governing body, or an amateur sports organization 

that participates in interstate or international amateur athletic 

competition, to interact with a minor or amateur athlete at 

an amateur sports organization facility or at any event sanctioned by a national governing body, a member of a national 

governing body, or such an amateur sports organization; 

‘‘(10) the term ‘event’ includes travel, lodging, practice, 

competition, and health or medical treatment; 

‘‘(11) the terms ‘amateur athlete’, ‘amateur athletic competition’, ‘amateur sports organization’, ‘international amateur athletic competition’, and ‘national governing body’ have the 

meanings given the terms in section 220501(b) of title 36, 

United States Code; and 

‘‘(12) the term ‘as soon as possible’ means within a 24- 

hour period.’’; 

(4) in subsection (d), in the first sentence, by inserting 

‘‘and for all covered individuals’’ after ‘‘reside’’; 

(5) in subsection (f), in the first sentence— 

(A) by striking ‘‘and on all’’ and inserting ‘‘on all’’; 

and 

(B) by inserting ‘‘and for all covered individuals,’’ after 

‘‘lands,’’; 

(6) in subsection (h), by inserting ‘‘and all covered individuals,’’ after ‘‘facilities,’’; and 

(7) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(i) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall 

be construed to require a victim of child abuse to self-report the 

abuse.’’. 

(b) PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO REPORT.—Section 2258 of title 

18, United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘or a covered 

individual as described in subsection (a)(2) of such section 226 

who,’’ after ‘‘facility,’’. 

SEC. 102. CIVIL REMEDY FOR PERSONAL INJURIES. 

Section 2255 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— 

(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Any person who, while a minor, was a victim 

of a violation of section 1589, 1590, 1591, 2241(c), 2242, 2243, 

2251, 2251A, 2252, 2252A, 2260, 2421, 2422, or 2423 of this title 

and who suffers personal injury as a result of such violation, regardless of whether the injury occurred while such person was a minor, 

may sue in any appropriate United States District Court and shall 

recover the actual damages such person sustains or liquidated 

damages in the amount of $150,000, and the cost of the action, 

including reasonable attorney’s fees and other litigation costs 

reasonably incurred. The court may also award punitive damages 

and such other preliminary and equitable relief as the court determines to be appropriate.’’; 

Definitions. 


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132 STAT. 320 PUBLIC LAW 115–126—FEB. 14, 2018 

(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘filed within’’ and all 

that follows through the end and inserting the following: 

‘‘filed— 

‘‘(1) not later than 10 years after the date on which the 

plaintiff reasonably discovers the later of— 

‘‘(A) the violation that forms the basis for the claim; 

or 

‘‘(B) the injury that forms the basis for the claim; 

or 

‘‘(2) not later than 10 years after the date on which the 

victim reaches 18 years of age.’’; and 

(3) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(c) VENUE; SERVICE OF PROCESS.— ‘‘(1) VENUE.—Any action brought under subsection (a) may 

be brought in the district court of the United States that 

meets applicable requirements relating to venue under section 

1391 of title 28. 

‘‘(2) SERVICE OF PROCESS.—In an action brought under 

subsection (a), process may be served in any district in which 

the defendant— 

‘‘(A) is an inhabitant; or 

‘‘(B) may be found.’’. 

TITLE II—UNITED STATES CENTER FOR 

SAFE SPORT AUTHORIZATION 

SEC. 201. EXPANSION OF THE PURPOSES OF THE CORPORATION. 

Section 220503 of title 36, United States Code, is amended— 

(1) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting 

a semicolon; 

(2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period at the end 

and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

(3) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(15) to promote a safe environment in sports that is free 

from abuse, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, 

of any amateur athlete.’’. 

SEC. 202. DESIGNATION OF THE UNITED STATES CENTER FOR SAFE 

SPORT. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 2205 of title 36, United States Code, 

is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘Subchapter III—United States Center for Safe Sport 

‘‘§ 220541. Designation of United States Center for Safe Sport 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The United States Center for Safe Sport 

shall— 

‘‘(1) serve as the independent national safe sport organization and be recognized worldwide as the independent national 

safe sport organization for the United States; 

‘‘(2) exercise jurisdiction over the corporation, each national 

governing body, and each paralympic sports organization with 

regard to safeguarding amateur athletes against abuse, 

including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, in sports; 

36 USC 220541. 

36 USC 220541 

prec. 

Deadlines. 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–126—FEB. 14, 2018 132 STAT. 321 

‘‘(3) maintain an office for education and outreach that 

shall develop training, oversight practices, policies, and procedures to prevent the abuse, including emotional, physical, and 

sexual abuse, of amateur athletes participating in amateur 

athletic activities through national governing bodies and 

paralympic sports organizations; 

‘‘(4) maintain an office for response and resolution that 

shall establish mechanisms that allow for the reporting, investigation, and resolution, pursuant to subsection (c), of alleged 

sexual abuse in violation of the Center’s policies and procedures; 

and 

‘‘(5) ensure that the mechanisms under paragraph (4) provide fair notice and an opportunity to be heard and protect 

the privacy and safety of complainants. 

‘‘(b) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.—The policies and procedures 

developed under subsection (a)(3) shall apply as though they were 

incorporated in and made a part of section 220524 of this title. 

‘‘(c) BINDING ARBITRATION.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Center may, in its discretion, utilize 

a neutral arbitration body and develop policies and procedures 

to resolve allegations of sexual abuse within its jurisdiction 

to determine the opportunity of any amateur athlete, coach, 

trainer, manager, administrator, or official, who is the subject 

of such an allegation, to participate in amateur athletic competition. 

‘‘(2) PRESERVATION OF RIGHTS.—Nothing in this section 

shall be construed as altering, superseding, or otherwise 

affecting the right of an individual within the Center’s jurisdiction to pursue civil remedies through the courts for personal 

injuries arising from abuse in violation of the Center’s policies 

and procedures, nor shall the Center condition the participation 

of any such individual in a proceeding described in paragraph 

(1) upon an agreement not to pursue such civil remedies. 

‘‘(d) LIMITATION ON LIABILITY.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), 

an applicable entity shall not be liable for damages in any 

civil action for defamation, libel, slander, or damage to reputation arising out of any action or communication, if the action 

arises from the execution of the responsibilities or functions 

described in this section, section 220542, or section 220543. 

‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply in any 

action in which an applicable entity acted with actual malice, 

or provided information or took action not pursuant to this 

section, section 220542, or section 220543. 

‘‘(3) DEFINITION OF APPLICABLE ENTITY.—In this subsection, 

the term ‘applicable entity’ means— 

‘‘(A) the Center; 

‘‘(B) a national governing body; 

‘‘(C) a paralympic sports organization; 

‘‘(D) an amateur sports organization or other person 

sanctioned by a national governing body under section 

220525; 

‘‘(E) an amateur sports organization reporting under 

section 220530; 

‘‘(F) any officer, employee, agent, or member of an 

entity described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E); 

and 

Applicability. 


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132 STAT. 322 PUBLIC LAW 115–126—FEB. 14, 2018 

‘‘(G) any individual participating in a proceeding pursuant to this section. 

‘‘§ 220542. Additional duties. 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Center shall— 

‘‘(1) develop training, oversight practices, policies, and 

procedures for implementation by a national governing body 

or paralympic sports organization to prevent the abuse, 

including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, of any amateur 

athlete; and 

‘‘(2) include in the policies and procedures developed under 

section 220541(a)(3)— 

‘‘(A) a requirement that all adult members of a national 

governing body, a paralympic sports organization, or a 

facility under the jurisdiction of a national governing body 

or paralympic sports organization, and all adults authorized by such members to interact with an amateur athlete, 

report immediately any allegation of child abuse of an 

amateur athlete who is a minor to— 

‘‘(i) the Center, whenever such members or adults 

learn of facts leading them to suspect reasonably that 

an amateur athlete who is a minor has suffered an 

incident of child abuse; and 

‘‘(ii) law enforcement consistent with section 226 

of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (34 U.S.C. 

20341); 

‘‘(B) a mechanism, approved by a trained expert on 

child abuse, that allows a complainant to report easily 

an incident of child abuse to the Center, a national governing body, law enforcement authorities, or other appropriate authorities; 

‘‘(C) reasonable procedures to limit one-on-one interactions between an amateur athlete who is a minor and 

an adult (who is not the minor’s legal guardian) at a 

facility under the jurisdiction of a national governing body 

or paralympic sports organization without being in an 

observable and interruptible distance from another adult, 

except under emergency circumstances; 

‘‘(D) procedures to prohibit retaliation, by any national 

governing body or paralympic sports organization, against 

any individual who makes a report under subparagraph 

(A) or subparagraph (B); 

‘‘(E) oversight procedures, including regular and 

random audits conducted by subject matter experts unaffiliated with, and independent of, a national governing body 

or a paralympic sports organization of each national governing body and paralympic sports organization to ensure 

that policies and procedures developed under that section 

are followed correctly and that consistent training is offered 

and given to all adult members who are in regular contact 

with amateur athletes who are minors, and subject to 

parental consent, to members who are minors, regarding 

prevention of child abuse; and 

‘‘(F) a mechanism by which a national governing body 

or paralympic sports organization can— 

‘‘(i) share confidentially a report of suspected child 

abuse of an amateur athlete who is a minor by a 

36 USC 220542. 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–126—FEB. 14, 2018 132 STAT. 323 

member of a national governing body or paralympic 

sports organization, or an adult authorized by a 

national governing body, paralympic sports organization, or an amateur sports organization to interact 

with an amateur athlete who is a minor, with the 

Center, which in turn, may share with relevant 

national governing bodies, paralympic sports organizations, and other entities; and 

‘‘(ii) withhold providing to an adult who is the 

subject of an allegation of child abuse authority to 

interact with an amateur athlete who is a minor until 

the resolution of such allegation. 

‘‘(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall 

be construed to limit the ability of a national governing body or 

paralympic sports organization to impose an interim measure to 

prevent an individual who is the subject of an allegation of sexual 

abuse from interacting with an amateur athlete prior to the Center 

exercising its jurisdiction over a matter. 

‘‘§ 220543. Records, audits, and reports 

‘‘(a) RECORDS.—The Center shall keep correct and complete 

records of account. 

‘‘(b) REPORT.—The Center shall submit an annual report to 

Congress, including— 

‘‘(1) an audit conducted and submitted in accordance with 

section 10101; and 

‘‘(2) a description of the activities of the Center.’’. 

(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 220501(b) of title 36, 

United States Code, is amended— 

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (8) as paragraphs (6) through (10), respectively; and 

(2) by inserting after paragraph (3), the following: 

‘‘(4) ‘Center’ means the United States Center for Safe Sport 

designated under section 220541. 

‘‘(5) ‘child abuse’ has the meaning given the term in section 

212 of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (34 U.S.C. 

20302).’’. 

(c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents of chapter 

2205 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by adding at 

the end the following: 

‘‘SUBCHAPTER III—UNITED STATES CENTER FOR SAFE SPORT

‘‘220541. Designation of United States Center for Safe Sport. 

‘‘220542. Additional duties. 

‘‘220543. Records, audits, and reports.’’. 

SEC. 203. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTING SANCTIONS 

FOR AMATEUR ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS. 

Section 220525(b)(4) is amended— 

(1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting 

a semicolon; 

(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the end 

and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

(3) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(G) the amateur sports organization or person 

requesting sanction from a national governing body will 

implement and abide by the policies and procedures to 

prevent the abuse, including emotional, physical, and child 

36 USC 220501 

prec. 

Definitions. 

36 USC 220543. 


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132 STAT. 324 PUBLIC LAW 115–126—FEB. 14, 2018 

abuse, of amateur athletes participating in amateur athletic 

activities applicable to such national governing body.’’. 

SEC. 204. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUTH-SERVING AMATEUR 

SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 2205 of title 36, 

United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘§ 220530. Other amateur sports organizations 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An applicable amateur sports organization 

shall— 

‘‘(1) comply with the reporting requirements of section 226 

of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (34 U.S.C. 20341); 

‘‘(2) establish reasonable procedures to limit one-on-one 

interactions between an amateur athlete who is a minor and 

an adult (who is not the minor’s legal guardian) at a facility 

under the jurisdiction of the applicable amateur sports 

organization without being in an observable and interruptible 

distance from another adult, except under emergency circumstances; 

‘‘(3) offer and provide consistent training to all adult members who are in regular contact with amateur athletes who 

are minors, and subject to parental consent, to members who 

are minors, regarding prevention and reporting of child abuse 

to allow a complainant to report easily an incident of child 

abuse to appropriate persons; and 

‘‘(4) prohibit retaliation, by the applicable amateur sports 

organization, against any individual who makes a report under 

paragraph (1). 

‘‘(b) DEFINITION OF APPLICABLE AMATEUR SPORTS ORGANIZATION.—In this section, the term ‘applicable amateur sports organization’ means an amateur sports organization— 

‘‘(1) that is not otherwise subject to the requirements under 

subchapter III; 

‘‘(2) that participates in an interstate or international amateur athletic competition; and 

‘‘(3) whose membership includes any adult who is in regular 

contact with an amateur athlete who is a minor.’’. 

36 USC 220530. 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–126—FEB. 14, 2018 132 STAT. 325 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 534 (H.R. 1973): 

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–136, Pt. 1 (Comm. on the Judiciary) accompanying 

H.R. 1973. 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 

Vol. 163 (2017): Nov. 14, considered and passed Senate. 

Vol. 164 (2018): Jan. 29, considered and passed House, amended. 

Jan. 30, Senate concurred in House amendment. 

Æ 

(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents of chapter 

2205 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by inserting 

after the item relating to section 220529 the following: 

‘‘220530. Other amateur sports organizations.’’. 

Approved February 14, 2018. 

36 USC 220501 

prec. 


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