I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2817 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit taking minors across 
State lines in circumvention of laws requiring the involvement of parents 
in abortion decisions. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 16, 2019 
Mr. WRIGHT (for himself, Mr. GOODEN, Mr. MOONEY of West Virginia, Mrs. 
HARTZLER, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. MEADOWS, Mr. BANKS, Mr. BRADY, and 
Mr. MARCHANT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit taking 
minors across State lines in circumvention of laws requir-
ing the involvement of parents in abortion decisions. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Child Custody Protec-
tion Act of 2019’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:32 May 30, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2817.IH
H2817
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION OF MINORS IN CIRCUMVENTION 
OF CERTAIN LAWS RELATING TO ABORTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part I of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 117 the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘CHAPTER 
117A—TRANSPORTATION 
OF 
MINORS IN CIRCUMVENTION OF CER-
TAIN LAWS RELATING TO ABORTION 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘2431. Transportation of minors in circumvention of certain laws relating to 
abortion. 
‘‘2432. Transportation of minors in circumvention of certain laws relating to in-
cest. 
‘‘§ 2431. Transportation of minors in circumvention of 
certain laws relating to abortion 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘law requiring parental involve-
ment in a minor’s abortion decision’ means a law in 
force in the State in which a minor resides that— 
‘‘(A) requires, before an abortion is per-
formed on the minor— 
‘‘(i) notification to, or consent of, a 
parent of the minor; or 
‘‘(ii) judicial authorization from a 
State court; and 
‘‘(B) does not provide as an alternative to 
the requirements described in subparagraph 
(A)— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:32 May 30, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2817.IH
H2817
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) GENERALLY.—Except as provided in sub-
section (c), whoever knowingly transports a minor 
across a State line, with the intent that the minor 
obtain an abortion, and thereby in fact abridges the 
right of a parent of the minor under a law requiring 
parental involvement in a minor’s abortion decision, 
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not 
more than 1 year, or both. 
‘‘(2) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this sub-
section, an abridgement of the right of a parent of 
a minor occurs if an abortion is performed on the 
minor, in a State other than the State in which the 
minor resides, without the parental consent or notifi-
cation, or the judicial authorization, that would have 
been required under a law requiring parental in-
volvement in a minor’s abortion decision, had the 
abortion been performed in the State in which the 
minor resides. 
‘‘(c) EXCEPTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) LIFE-ENDANGERING
CONDITIONS.—The 
prohibition under subsection (b) shall not apply in 
the case of an abortion that is necessary to save the 
life of a minor because her life is endangered by a 
physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:32 May 30, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2817.IH
H2817
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
including a life-endangering physical condition 
caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself. 
‘‘(2) MINORS AND PARENTS.—A minor trans-
ported in violation of this section, and any parent of 
the minor, may not be prosecuted or sued for a vio-
lation of this section, a conspiracy to violate this sec-
tion, or an offense under section 2 or 3 based on a 
violation of this section. 
‘‘(d) AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE.—It is an affirmative 
defense to a prosecution for an offense, or to a civil action, 
based on a violation of this section that the defendant rea-
sonably believed, based on information the defendant ob-
tained directly from a parent of the minor or other compel-
ling facts, that before the minor obtained the abortion, the 
parental consent or notification, or judicial authorization, 
that would have been required under the law requiring pa-
rental involvement in a minor’s abortion decision, had the 
abortion been performed in the State in which the minor 
resides, took place. 
‘‘(e) CIVIL ACTION.—Any parent who suffers harm 
from a violation of subsection (b) may obtain appropriate 
relief in a civil action, unless the parent has committed 
an act of incest with the minor who was transported in 
violation of subsection (b). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:32 May 30, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2817.IH
H2817
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘§ 2432. Transportation of minors in circumvention of 
certain laws relating to incest 
‘‘Notwithstanding section 2431(c)(2), whoever has 
committed an act of incest with a minor and knowingly 
transports the minor across a State line with the intent 
that the minor obtain an abortion, shall be fined under 
this title or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
The table of chapters for part I of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
chapter 117 the following: 
‘‘117A. Transportation of minors in circumvention of certain laws re-
lating to abortion .......................................................... 2431’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:32 May 30, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2817.IH
H2817
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS