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Harsher Penalties for Crimes Against Children Near Schools

This act increases prison sentences for human trafficking, coercion, distribution of obscene materials, sexual exploitation, and transporting minors for criminal sexual activity, if these crimes are committed in or near school zones. The goal is to better protect children and youth in educational settings.
Key points
Adds up to 5 years of consecutive imprisonment for human trafficking, coercion, distribution of obscene materials, sexual exploitation, and transporting minors for criminal sexual activity if the victim is a student and the crime occurs within a school zone or 1,000 feet thereof.
Defines "school zone" to include areas around elementary, secondary schools, and higher education institutions, as well as locations of school-sponsored activities.
These penalties are added to existing sentences, meaning offenders will serve more time in prison.
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Status: Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_HR_10228
Sponsor: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10]
Process start date: 2024-11-21
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure — full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source—always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

Sheila Jackson Lee Stop Human Trafficking in School Zones Act

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_HR_10228.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2024-11-21.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Adds up to 5 years of consecutive imprisonment for human trafficking, coercion, distribution of obscene materials, sexual exploitation, and transporting minors for criminal sexual activity if the victim is a student and the crime occurs within a school zone or 1,000 feet thereof.
  • Defines "school zone" to include areas around elementary, secondary schools, and higher education institutions, as well as locations of school-sponsored activities.
  • These penalties are added to existing sentences, meaning offenders will serve more time in prison.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-24.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know—that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Courts and Law Education Family