Securing Commerce and Protecting Businesses Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4425
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Loeffler, Kelly [R-GA]
Introduced: 2020-08-04
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Crimes against property

Protest and dissent

Violent crime
Latest action: action_date: 2020-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-08-04
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Securing Commerce and Protecting Businesses Act of 2020</b></p> <p>This bill makes looting or destroying property during a riot a federal crime in certain instances. </p> <p>Specifically, it shall be unlawful to affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce through the (1) destruction of the property of a commercial enterprise in connection with a riot, or (2) unlawful taking of goods or property of a commercial enterprise in connection with a riot. </p> <p>A person in violation of this bill shall be subject to fines, imprisonment, or both. </p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4425 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES August 4, 2020 Mrs. Loeffler 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 create a Federal crime of destruction of property and looting of certain commercial entities.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing Commerce and Protecting Businesses Act of 2020 . 2. Destruction of property and looting (a) In general Chapter 102 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2101 the following: 2101A. Destruction of property and looting (a) Offense It shall be unlawful to obstruct, delay, or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, through the destruction of the property of or looting of a business or other commercial enterprise in connection with or during a riot. (b) Penalty Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be fined $10,000, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both. (c) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed as— (1) indicating an intent on the part of Congress to prevent any State, any possession or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia, from exercising jurisdiction over any offense over which it would have jurisdiction in the absence of this section; or (2) depriving State and local law enforcement authorities of responsibility for prosecuting acts that may be violations of this section and that are violations of State and local law. . (b) Definitions Section 2102 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (c) As used in this chapter, the term looting means the unlawful taking or theft of goods or property during a riot. . (c) Technical and conforming amendment The table of sections for chapter 102 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2101 the following: 2101A. Destruction of property and looting. .