Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act of 1988

Summary

Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act of 1988 - Title I: Child Pornography - Amends the Federal criminal code to make it illegal to use a computer to transport information in interstate or foreign commerce concerning the visual depiction of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct (child pornography). Establishes criminal penalties for buying, selling, or transferring the custody of a minor: (1) knowing that, as a consequence of the sale or transfer, the minor will be used in child pornography; or (2) with the intent to promote child pornography. States that such sale or transfer must involve: (1) the minor or other actor traveling in interstate or foreign commerce; (2) communications in interstate or foreign commerce; or (3) conduct in a territory or possession of the United States. Requires any person who produces a book, magazine, periodical, film, videotape, or other matter which contains any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct (which is shipped or intended for shipment in interstate or foreign commerce, or contains material shipped in interstate or foreign commerce) to maintain certain records regarding the performers portrayed in such conduct. Directs the Attorney General to issue regulations regarding the maintenance and availability of such records. Includes the sexual exploitation of children as a predicate offense to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute. Title II: Obscenity - Makes it a Federal criminal offense to receive or possess, with the intent to distribute, obscene matter which has been transported in interstate or foreign commerce. Makes it a Federal criminal offense to knowingly use a facility or means of commerce to sell or distribute obscene matter in interstate or foreign commerce. Establishes a rebuttable presumption, with respect to Federal criminal offenses involving obscene matter, that obscene matter produced in one State (or outside the United States) which is subsequently located in another State (or in the United States) was transported, shipped, or carried in interstate (or foreign) commerce. Establishes criminal and civil forfeiture procedures with respect to Federal offenses involving obscene material and child pornography. Includes communications by means of cable or subscription television within the prohibition against broadcasting obscene language. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to modify the penalty provisions of such Act with respect to obscene telephone communications. Amends the Federal criminal code to establish criminal penalties for the possession or sale of obscene matter on Federal property. Adds obscenity offenses to the list of crimes for which the Government may obtain wiretaps.

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Timeline

1. 2 February 1988

   Introduced

   Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 2 February 1988

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 2 February 1988

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 8 February 1988

   Referred

   Referred to Subcommittee on Crime.

   Source: Committee

5. 9 February 1988

   Referred

   Referred to Subcommittee on Trade.

   Source: Committee

6. 16 February 1988

   Referred

   Referred to Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.

   Source: Committee

7. 28 April 1988

   Committee

   Subcommittee Hearings Held.

   Source: Committee

8. 16 June 1988

   Committee

   Subcommittee Hearings Held.

   Source: Committee

9. 11 August 1988

   Committee

   Subcommittee Hearings Held.

   Source: Committee

10. 22 September 1988

    Committee

    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

11. 26 September 1988

    Committee

    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

12. 22 October 1988

    Committee

    For Further Action See H.R.5210.

    Source: Committee

13. 18 November 1988

    Committee

    See H.R.5210.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 2 February 1988

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Rep. Hughes, William J. [D-NJ-2] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. McCollum, Bill [R-FL-8] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Mazzoli, Romano L. [D-KY-3] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Smith, Lawrence [D-FL-16] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Shaw, E. Clay, Jr. [R-FL-22] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Gekas, George W. [R-PA-17] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Fish, Hamilton, Jr. [R-NY-19] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Moorhead, Carlos J. [R-CA-22] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Hyde, Henry J. [R-IL-6] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Swindall, Patrick L. [R-GA-4] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Coble, Howard [R-NC-6] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Michel, Robert H. [R-IL-18] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Lott, Trent [R-MS] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Hutto, Earl [D-FL-1] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. McMillan, J. Alex [R-NC-9] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Broomfield, William S. [R-MI-18] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Smith, Bob [R-NH] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Dornan, Robert K. [R-CA-46] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Stallings, Richard H. [D-ID-2] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Skeen, Joe [R-NM-2] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Craig, Larry E. [R-ID] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Lewis, Thomas F. [R-FL-12] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Henry, Paul B. [R-MI-5] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Wolf, Frank R. [R-VA-10] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Montgomery, G. V. (Sonny) [D-MS-3] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Grandy, Fred [R-IA-6] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Price, Melvin [D-IL-21] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Courter, Jim [R-NJ-12] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Fawell, Harris W. [R-IL-13] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Roth, Toby [R-WI-8] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Kemp, Jack [R-NY-31] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Marlenee, Ron [R-MT-2] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Ireland, Andrew P. [R-FL-10] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Weldon, Curt [R-PA-7] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Hunter, Duncan [R-CA-52] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Lagomarsino, Robert J. [R-CA-19] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Oxley, Michael G. [R-OH-4] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. DioGuardi, Joseph J. [R-NY-20] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Barton, Joe [R-TX-6] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Wylie, Chalmers P. [R-OH-15] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Emerson, Bill [R-MO-8] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Schulze, Richard T. [R-PA-5] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Nielson, Howard C. [R-UT-3] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Ballenger, Cass [R-NC-10] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Daub, Hal [R-NE-2] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Erdreich, Ben [D-AL-6] · D · Sponsor

Showing 48 of 283 sponsors and actors.

Related records

• related to ← Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988
• related to ← Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act of 1988