Title: Jane’s Law
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Jane's Law
This bill makes it a crime to knowingly travel in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent to evade compliance with a court ordered property distribution as part of a separation or divorce settlement.
A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both—and mandatory restitution in the amount of total unpaid property distribution.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4203 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4203

  To amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen enforcement of 
 spousal court-ordered property distributions, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 23, 2019

    Mr. Costa (for himself, Mr. Olson, Mrs. Lesko, and Ms. Escobar) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen enforcement of 
 spousal court-ordered property distributions, 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.

    This Act may be cited as ``Jane's Law''.

SEC. 2. SPOUSAL OBLIGATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 11A of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 228A. Failure to pay legal spousal court-ordered property 
              distribution
    ``(a) Offense.--Whoever knowingly, travels in interstate or foreign 
commerce, with the intent to evade compliance with a court ordered 
property distribution as part of a separation or divorce settlement 
involving more than $5,000, with respect to a spouse or former spouse, 
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than two 
years or both.
    ``(b) Mandatory Restitution.--Upon a conviction under this section, 
the court shall order restitution under section 3663A in an amount 
equal to the total unpaid property distribution.
    ``(c) Definition.--The term `court ordered property distribution' 
means any amount determined under a court order pursuant to the law of 
a State or of an Indian tribe to be due from a spouse or former spouse 
as an equitable or other distribution to a spouse or former spouse of 
assets in connection with a separation or divorce.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--
            (1) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 11A of title 18, United States Code, is 
        amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``228A. Failure to pay legal spousal court-ordered property 
                            distribution.''.
            (2) Table of chapters.--The item in the table of chapters 
        for part I of title 18, United States Code, relating to chapter 
        11A is amended to read as follows:

``11A. Child support and spousal obligations................     228''.
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