A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to establish Federal criminal penalties for interstate child endangerment.

Bill: 113-s-2596
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Walsh, John E. [D-MT]
Introduced: 2014-07-14
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child safety and welfare

Crimes against children

Domestic violence and child abuse

Drug, alcohol, tobacco use

Motor vehicles

Separation, divorce, custody, support

Transportation safety and security
Latest action: action_date: 2014-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-07-14
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit a person from: (1) traveling in interstate or foreign commerce to purposely, knowingly, or negligently cause substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to a child (defined as an individual under age 14) by placing the child in the physical custody of another individual who the person knows has previously injured a child or by operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance in violation of law while the child is in the vehicle; or (2) forcing a child to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to commit such an offense.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2596 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 14, 2014 Mr. Walsh introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish Federal criminal penalties for interstate child endangerment.

1. Interstate child endangerment (a) In general Chapter 110A of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2261A the following: 2261B. Interstate child endangerment (a) Offenses (1) Travel or conduct of offender It shall be unlawful for any person who travels in interstate or foreign commerce or enters or leaves Indian country or is present within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States to purposely, knowingly, or negligently cause substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to a child by— (A) placing the child in the physical custody of another individual who the person knows has previously purposely or knowingly caused bodily injury to a child; or (B) operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, in violation of the law of the State in which the motor vehicle is being operated, while the child is in the motor vehicle. (2) Causing travel of victim It shall be unlawful for any person to cause a child to travel in interstate or foreign commerce or to enter or leave Indian country by force, coercion, duress, or fraud and in the course of, as a result of, or to facilitate such conduct or travel, to commit or attempt to commit an offense under paragraph (1). (b) Penalties A person who commits an offense under subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $50,000, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both. (c) Definitions In this section— (1) the term child means an individual who has not attained 14 years of age; and (2) the term controlled substances has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act ( 21 U.S.C. 802 ). . (b) Table of sections The table of section for chapter 110A of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2261A the following: 2261B. Interstate child endangerment. .