Foster Child Protection and Child Sexual Predator Sentencing 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.
Foster Child Protection and Child Sexual Predator Sentencing Act of 2005 - Amends the Social Security Act provisions regarding federal payments for foster care and adoption assistance to require background checks before approval of foster or adoptive placements, including checks of national crime information databases and state child abuse registries. Requires safeguards to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of information in a state child abuse and neglect registry and to prevent such information from being used for purposes other than conducting background checks in foster or adoptive placement cases.
Directs the Attorney General, at the request of the chief executive of a state, to ensure that appropriate child welfare agencies have the authority for "read only" online access to the national crime information databases. Prohibits an individual from releasing information derived as a result of a check other than to appropriate child welfare agency officers or others legally authorized to receive it. Sets penalties for knowingly exceeding such authority or releasing information in violation of this Act.
Increases penalties for: (1) coercion and enticement by sex offenders; (2) transportation of minors for criminal sexual activity; and (3) sexual abuse. Makes the confidential marital communication privilege and the adverse spousal privilege inapplicable in federal proceedings in which a spouse is charged with a crime against a child of, or under the custody or control of, either spouse.
Establishes: (1) procedures for the civil commitment of sexually dangerous persons; and (2) mandatory minimum penalties for child sex trafficking.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on June 30, 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 August 23, 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?
TOM DELAY (R-TX) introduced it on June 30, 2005. No cosponsors are recorded.
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 June 30, 2005, 7789 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 7735 days ago, on August 23, 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