STOP Identity Theft Act of 2012

Bill: 112-hr-4362
Sponsor: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-20]
Introduced: 2012-04-16 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2012-04-16
text: 
Stopping Tax Offenders and Prosecuting Identity Theft Act of 2012 or the STOP Identity Theft Act of 2012 - Calls for the Attorney General to: (1) make use of all existing resources of the Department of Justice (DOJ), including task forces, to bring more perpetrators of tax return identity theft to justice; and (2) take into account the need to concentrate efforts in areas of the country where the crime is most frequently reported, to coordinate with state and local authorities to prosecute and prevent such crime, and to protect vulnerable groups from becoming victims or otherwise being used in the offense.
 
Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) define &quot;means of identification&quot; to mean any name or number used to identify a specific person (currently, any specific individual); and (2) make tax fraud a predicate offense for aggravated identity theft.
 
Directs the Attorney General to include in the first annual DOJ performance report made more than nine months after the date of this Act's enactment information as to progress in implementing this Act regarding: (1) information readily available to DOJ about trends in the incidence of tax return identity theft, (2) the effectiveness of statutory tools in aiding DOJ in prosecuting it, (3) recommendations on additional statutory tools that would aid in removing barriers to effective prosecution, and (4) the status of implementing DOJ's March 2010 audit report on DOJ efforts to combat identity theft.

action_date: 2012-08-01
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Stopping Tax Offenders and Prosecuting Identity Theft Act of 2012 or the STOP Identity Theft Act of 2012 - Calls for the Attorney General to: (1) make use of all existing resources of the Department of Justice (DOJ), including task forces, to bring more perpetrators of tax return identity theft to justice; and (2) take into account the need to concentrate efforts in areas of the country where the crime is most frequently reported, to coordinate with state and local authorities to prosecute and prevent such crime, and to protect vulnerable groups from becoming victims or otherwise being used in the offense.
 
Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) define &quot;means of identification&quot; to mean any name or number used to identify a specific person (currently, any specific individual); and (2) make tax fraud a predicate offense for aggravated identity theft.
 
Directs the Attorney General to include in the first annual DOJ performance report made more than nine months after the date of this Act's enactment information as to progress in implementing this Act regarding: (1) information readily available to DOJ about trends in the incidence of tax return identity theft, (2) the effectiveness of statutory tools in aiding DOJ in prosecuting it, (3) recommendations on additional statutory tools that would aid in removing barriers to effective prosecution, and (4) the status of implementing DOJ's March 2010 audit report on DOJ efforts to combat identity theft.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2012-08-01
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2012-08-01
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR 7/31/2012 H5510-5511)
action_date: 2012-08-01
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR 7/31/2012 H5510-5511)
action_date: 2012-08-01
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5619)
action_date: 2012-07-31
text: At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Smith (TX) objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
action_date: 2012-07-31
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4362.
action_date: 2012-07-31
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5510-5514)
action_date: 2012-07-31
text: Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2012-07-31
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 460.
action_date: 2012-07-31
text: Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 112-639.
action_date: 2012-07-31
text: Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 112-639.
action_date: 2012-07-10
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2012-07-10
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2012-07-09
text: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Discharged.
action_date: 2012-04-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2012-04-16
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2012-04-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-04-16
text: Introduced in House