Rioting Restitution Act

Bill: 116-s-4551
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
Introduced: 2020-09-09
Policy area: Law
Latest action: action_date: 2020-09-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-09-09
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Rioting Restitution Act</b></p> <p>This bill allows individuals who are personally injured by a riot, or who suffer property damage because of a riot, to sue those responsible in federal court and receive triple damages.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill allows victims to sue any person that (1) caused the injury or property damage; (2) traveled from out of state or used, for example, the internet, telephone, television, or mail with the intent to incite, organize, or participate in the riot; and (3) did incite, organize, or participate in the riot or attempted to do so.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4551 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 9, 2020 Mr. Cotton (for himself and Mrs. Loeffler ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To provide a cause of action for persons injured by rioting.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rioting Restitution Act . 2. Civil action for injuries (a) Cause of action A person who suffers personal injury or whose property is damaged by a riot (as defined in section 2102 of title 18, United States Code) may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States against any person who— (1) caused the personal injury or property damage; (2) traveled in interstate or foreign commerce or used any facility of interstate or foreign commerce, including the mail, telegraph, telephone, radio, or television, with the intent to— (A) incite the riot; (B) organize, promote, encourage, participate in, or carry on the riot; (C) commit any act of violence in furtherance of the riot; or (D) aid or abet any person in inciting or participating in or carrying on the riot or committing any act of violence in furtherance of the riot; and (3) during the course of, or following, any such travel or use performed or attempted to perform any other overt act for any purpose specified in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) of paragraph (2). (b) Treble damages A defendant in a civil action brought under subsection (a) shall be subject to treble damages.