Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to clarify that section 230 of that Act does not prohibit the enforcement against providers and users of interactive computer services of Federal and State criminal and civil law relating to sex trafficking. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 230 Public Law 104–104 Communications Decency Act of 1996 (2) Clarification of section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 is warranted to ensure that that section does not provide such protection to such websites. 3. Ensuring ability to enforce Federal and State criminal and civil law relating to sex trafficking (a) In general Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 230 (1) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (4), by striking and (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (6) to ensure vigorous enforcement of Federal criminal and civil law relating to sex trafficking. ; and (2) in subsection (e)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) by inserting section 1591 (relating to sex trafficking) of that title, title 18, United States Code, (ii) by striking impair the enforcement (A) the enforcement ; and (iii) by striking statute. (B) any State criminal prosecution or civil enforcement action targeting conduct that violates a Federal criminal law prohibiting— (i) sex trafficking of children; or (ii) sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion. ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (5) No effect on civil law relating to sex trafficking Nothing in this section shall be construed to impair the enforcement or limit the application of section 1595 of title 18, United States Code. . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act, and the amendment made by subsection (a)(2)(B) shall apply regardless of whether the conduct alleged occurred, or is alleged to have occurred, before, on, or after such date of enactment. 4. Ensuring Federal liability for publishing information designed to facilitate sex trafficking or otherwise facilitating sex trafficking Section 1591(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively; and (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: (4) The term participation in a venture .

Summary: Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017 (Sec. 3) This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to specify that communications decency provisions protecting providers from liability for the private blocking or screening of offensive material shall not be construed to impair or limit civil action&nbsp;or criminal prosecution under state or federal criminal or civil laws relating to sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. (Sec. 4) The&nbsp;bill amends the federal criminal code to specify that the violation for benefiting from "participation in a venture" engaged in sex trafficking of children, or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, includes knowingly assisting, supporting, or facilitating the violation. (Sec. 5) The bill amends the federal criminal code to allow a state attorney general to bring a civil action in U.S. district court on behalf of the state's residents if the attorney general believes an interest of the residents has been or is threatened or adversely affected by any person who knowingly participates in the sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.