House Rules Considers Online Sex-Trafficking Bill, Before Tuesday Floor Vote

The House Rules Committee was to have considered Monday evening the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (HR-1865), setting up a planned Tuesday floor debate and vote. The committee will in part consider an amendment from Rep. Mimi Walters, R-Calif., to include language from the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (S-1693). Both bills would amend Communications Decency Act Section 230 to make it easier to bring criminal charges against websites that knowingly facilitate or promote sex trafficking. Some tech, privacy and open internet proponents have strongly favored HR-1865's existing language as a more targeted approach to curbing online sex trafficking (see 1801040050). Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., S-1693's lead sponsors, lauded Walters for seeking to add language from their bill to HR-1865. The additional provisions deserve "every member’s support," they said.