I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 196 

To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to the offense of stalking. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 6, 2011 

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California (for herself, Ms. FOXX, and Mr. BOSWELL) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for 

a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to 

the offense of stalking. 

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 ‘‘Simplifying The Am5 biguous Law, Keeping Everyone Reliably Safe Act of 

6 2011’’ or the ‘‘STALKERS Act of 2011’’. 

7 SEC. 2. STALKING. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2261A of title 18, United 

9 States Code, is amended to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘§ 2261A. Stalking 

2 ‘‘(a) Whoever, with intent to kill, physically injure, 

3 harass, or intimidate a person, or place under surveillance 

4 with the intent to kill, physically injure, harass, or intimi5 date a person, travels in interstate or foreign commerce 

6 or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction 

7 of the United States, or enters or leaves Indian country, 

8 and in the course of, or as a result of, such travel— 

9 ‘‘(1) causes or attempts to cause bodily injury 

10 or serious emotional distress to a person other than 

11 the person engaging in the conduct; or 

12 ‘‘(2) engages in conduct that would be reason13 ably expected to cause the other person serious emo14 tional distress; 

15 shall be punished as provided in subsection (c). 

16 ‘‘(b) Whoever, with intent to kill, physically injure, 

17 harass, or intimidate a person, engages in a course of con18 duct in or substantially affecting interstate or foreign com19 merce that— 

20 ‘‘(1) causes or attempts to cause bodily injury 

21 or serious emotional distress to a person other than 

22 the person engaging in the conduct; or 

23 ‘‘(2) occurs in circumstances where the conduct 

24 would be reasonably expected to cause the other per25 son serious emotional distress; 

26 shall be punished as provided in subsection (c). 


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1 ‘‘(c) The punishment for an offense under this section 

2 is the same as that for an offense under section 2261, 

3 except that— 

4 ‘‘(1) if the offense involves conduct in violation 

5 of a protection order; and 

6 ‘‘(2) if the victim of the offense is under the 

7 age of 18 years or over the age of 65 years, the of8 fender has reached the age of 18 years at the time 

9 the offense was committed, and the offender knew or 

10 should have known that the victim was under the 

11 age of 18 years or over the age of 65 years; 

12 the maximum term of imprisonment that may be imposed 

13 is increased by 5 years over the term of imprisonment oth14 erwise provided for that offense in section 2261.’’. 

15 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The item relating to 

16 section 2261A in the table of sections at the beginning 

17 of chapter 110A of title 18, United States Code, is amend18 ed to read as follows: 

‘‘2261A. Stalking.’’. 

19 SEC. 3. BEST PRACTICES REGARDING ENFORCEMENT OF 

20 ANTI-STALKING LAWS TO BE INCLUDED IN 

21 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ATTORNEY GEN22 ERAL. 

23 In the annual report under section 529 of title 28, 

24 United States Code, the Attorney General shall— 


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1 (1) include an evaluation of Federal, tribal, 

2 State, and local efforts to enforce laws relating to 

3 stalking; and 

4 (2) identify and describe those elements of such 

5 efforts that constitute the best practices for the en6 forcement of such laws. 

7 SEC. 4. PAYGO COMPLIANCE. 

8 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

9 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

10 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

11 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

12 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

13 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro14 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

15 vote on passage. 

Æ 


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