Gay and Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3133 To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit gay and trans panic defenses. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 5, 2019 Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. HIG- GINS of New York, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. PETERS, Ms. SPEIER, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Ms. NORTON, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. KILMER, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. COX of California, Ms. HAALAND, Ms. MOORE, Mr. SOTO, Mr. PAPPAS, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Mr. CRIST, Mrs. TORRES of California, and Mr. CA´RDENAS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit gay and trans panic defenses. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gay and Trans Panic 4 Defense Prohibition Act of 2019’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:50 Jun 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3133.IH H3133 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 3133 IH SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON GAY AND TRANS PANIC DE- 1 FENSES. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1 of title 18, United 3 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol- 4 lowing: 5 ‘‘§ 28. Prohibition on gay and trans panic defenses 6 ‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—No nonviolent sexual advance or 7 perception or belief, even if inaccurate, of the gender, gen- 8 der identity or expression, or sexual orientation of an indi- 9 vidual may be used to excuse or justify the conduct of an 10 individual or mitigate the severity of an offense. 11 ‘‘(b) PAST TRAUMA.—Notwithstanding the prohibi- 12 tion in subsection (a), a court may admit evidence, in ac- 13 cordance with the Federal Rules of Evidence, of prior 14 trauma to the defendant for the purpose of excusing or 15 justifying the conduct of the defendant or mitigating the 16 severity of an offense.’’. 17 (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 18 The table of sections for chapter 1 of title 18, United 19 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol- 20 lowing: 21 ‘‘28. Prohibition on gay and trans panic defenses.’’. (c) REPORT.—The Attorney General shall submit to 22 Congress an annual report that details prosecutions in 23 Federal court involving capital and noncapital crimes com- 24 mitted against lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender indi- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:50 Jun 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3133.IH H3133 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 3133 IH viduals that were motivated by the victim’s gender, gender 1 identity or expression, or sexual orientation. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:50 Jun 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3133.IH H3133 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS