Cyber Crime Protection Security Act
Latest action. Read the second time. Placed on Senate legislative calendarThe list of measures reported out of committee and eligible for floor action. Being on the calendar is not a promise of a vote.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) under General Orders. Calendar No. 324.
Cyber Crime Protection Security Act - Amends the federal criminal code to make fraud in connection with the unauthorized access of personally identifiable information (in electronic or digital form) a predicate for instituting a prosecution for racketeering.
Increases penalties for fraud and related activity in connection with computers.
Expands the prohibition against trafficking in passwords to include trafficking through any means by which a protected computer may be accessed without authorization.
Imposes criminal penalties for attempts and conspiracies to commit fraud and related activity in connection with computers.
Modifies criminal and civil forfeiture provisions, including requiring certain civil forfeiture seizures and forfeitures to be performed by persons designated for that purpose by the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Attorney General (DOJ).
Prohibits, during and in relation to a felony violation of provisions regarding fraud and related activity in connection with computers, intentionally causing or attempting to cause damage to a critical infrastructure computer if such damage results in (or, in the case of an attempt, would, if completed have resulted in) the substantial impairment of the operation of that computer or of the critical infrastructure associated with the computer. Imposes a prison term of between 3 and 20 years, a fine, or both. Prohibits probation for any person convicted of such a violation. Provides for concurrent sentences under specified circumstances.
Excludes from the definition of "exceeds authorized access" for purposes of the prohibition against fraudulent use of computers, access in violation of a contractual obligation or agreement, such as an acceptable use policy or terms of service agreement, with an Internet service provider, Internet website, or nongovernment employer, if such violation constitutes the sole basis for determining that access to a protected computer is unauthorized.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on February 15, 2012. 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 February 16, 2012: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 324.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- 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 112th Congress (2011-12), 283 of the 10,618 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.7 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?
Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced it on February 15, 2012. 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 February 15, 2012, 5321 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 5320 days ago, on February 16, 2012.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 112th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2013 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
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers