Protecting Our Children from Violence Act of 2005
Latest action. Referred to the subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Protecting Our Children from Violence Act of 2005 - Directs the Attorney General, upon request of the chief executive of a State, to ensure that a covered State social services officer has the authority for online access to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) databases and the Interstate Identification Index to carry out criminal history records checks. Limits such authority to a check of an individual who: (1) resided with a minor at the time of an actual or alleged incident of abuse or neglect of that minor, or at the time during which such an incident may have occurred; or (2) is the subject of an investigation relating to an incident of abuse or neglect of a minor.
Requires the Attorney General to ensure that such an officer has the authority for "read only" electronic access to the NCIC databases for the purpose of carrying out checks of records relating to missing persons or warrants. Directs such officer to use access only for an investigation relating to a missing child and to share any information obtained with appropriate Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.
Directs the Attorney General to ensure that the Case Analysis Division, the Missing Children's Division, and the Exploited Child Unit of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children each have access to the Index, subject to specified limitations.
Limits the release of information. Sets criminal penalties for knowingly releasing information in violation of this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on March 10, 2005. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on April 4, 2005: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 109th Congress (2005-06), 482 of the 10,701 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.5 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
MARK FOLEY (R-FL) introduced it on March 10, 2005, and 6 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 3 Democrats, 2 Republicans, 1 independent.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on March 10, 2005, 7854 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 7829 days ago, on April 4, 2005.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 109th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2007 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers