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H.R. 8481

U.S. House•House Floor Calendar

Summary

H.R. 8481, the Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026, was introduced in the House on Apr 23, 2026 by Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R) with 21 co-sponsors. It last saw action on Aug 31, 2026: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Record

Text

H.R. 8481 has 21 co-sponsors.

hb8481/engrossed-in-house.txt
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8481 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8481
_______________________________________________________________________
                                 AN ACT
 To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for the issuance of
           natural lifetime injunctions for certain victims.
    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``Kayleigh's Law Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. NATURAL LIFETIME INJUNCTIONS.
    (a) In General.--Chapter 238 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3773. Natural lifetime injunctions
    ``(a) In General.--In the case of any defendant convicted of a
covered offense, the court shall, on motion of the Government (with the
consent of a victim) or a victim, issue, at the time of sentencing, an
order prohibiting contact with a victim. Such order shall remain in
effect for the life of the defendant, subject to subsection (b). The
imposition of such order shall be included in and served on the
defendant during any sentencing proceeding. A violation of such order
shall be punishable as a contempt of court.
    ``(b) Termination of Injunction.--
            ``(1) In general.--An order issued under subsection (a) may
        be terminated or suspended only--
                    ``(A) on motion of the victim to whom such order
                pertains, alleging--
                            ``(i) that the conviction was the subject
                        of a pardon or commutation; or
                            ``(ii) a change in circumstances; or
                    ``(B) on motion of the defendant, alleging that the
                conviction was dismissed or overturned on appeal.
            ``(2) Hearing.--The court shall order a hearing on such
        motion, and may take evidence regarding the allegations
        included therein.
    ``(c) No Fee.--No fee may be assessed or collected from a victim in
connection with the issuance of an order under subsection (a).
    ``(d) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            ``(1) The term `covered offense'--
                    ``(A) means--
                            ``(i) a crime of violence (as such term is
                        defined in section 16(a)) that is a felony
                        under Federal law; or
                            ``(ii) an offense that includes as an
                        element a sexual act or sexual conduct (as
                        defined in section 2246) that is a felony under
                        Federal law; and
                    ``(B) includes an offense under--
                            ``(i) section 1591;
                            ``(ii) section 2241;
                            ``(iii) section 2242;
                            ``(iv) section 2243;
                            ``(v) section 2244;
                            ``(vi) section 2245;
                            ``(vii) section 2251;
                            ``(viii) section 2251A;
                            ``(ix) section 2252;
                            ``(x) section 2252A;
                            ``(xi) section 2260;
                            ``(xii) section 2261A;
                            ``(xiii) section 2421;
                            ``(xiv) section 2422;
                            ``(xv) section 2423; or
                            ``(xvi) section 2425.
            ``(2) The term `contact' means any direct or indirect
        communication, transmission, or physical interaction between
        two or more persons, including communication or interaction by
        written, oral, electronic, digital, or physical means, whether
        initiated personally, through an intermediary, or by automated
        or technological systems.
    ``(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to limit the application of an order under this section
within the jurisdiction of any State.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for such chapter is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``3773. Natural lifetime injunctions.''.
            Passed the House of Representatives August 31, 2026.
            Attest:
                                                                 Clerk.
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 8481
_______________________________________________________________________
                                 AN ACT
 To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for the issuance of
           natural lifetime injunctions for certain victims.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2026-04-23
  2. Passed House2026-08-31
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Reported to House Jul 6, 2026

hb8481/reported-to-house.md

Shown Here:
Reported to House (07/06/2026)

Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026

This bill establishes a federal statutory framework to require federal courts to issue an order prohibiting contact with a victim (i.e., a no-contact order) in the case of a defendant who is convicted of certain violent crimes or sex crimes.

Specifically, in the case of a defendant convicted of a felony offense that is a crime of violence or that involves a sexual act or sexual conduct, on a motion by the victim or federal government, the court must issue a no-contact order.

Under the framework, the no-contact order must be imposed at sentencing and be in effect for the lifetime of the defendant unless it is terminated or suspended in accordance with specified procedures. Additionally, no fee may be assessed or collected from a victim in connection with the issuance of a no-contact order.

Sponsors

Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R) sponsors H.R. 8481, and 21 members have co-sponsored it, 17 of them from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 8481 went before 1 committee: Judiciary.

Judiciary
Judiciary
Reported By · Jul 6, 2026 · 2,181 Bills

Reports

1 committee report has been filed on H.R. 8481, the latest H. Rept. 119-731.

Actions

H.R. 8481 has taken 14 actions since Apr 23, 2026, the latest on Aug 31, 2026.

ChamberAction
Aug 31, 202616:53
House
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Aug 31, 202616:53
House
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5270-5271)
Aug 31, 202616:53
House
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Aug 31, 202616:53
—
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Aug 31, 202616:41
House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8481.

Votes

H.R. 8481 has not gone to a roll call.

1 bill is related to H.R. 8481.

Titles

H.R. 8481 goes by 6 titles, 3 of them short titles.

  • Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026 — Short Title(s) as Passed House
  • To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for the issuance of natural lifetime injunctions for certain victims. — Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
  • Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026 — Display Title
  • To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for the issuance of natural lifetime injunctions for certain victims. — Official Title as Introduced
  • Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026 — Short Title(s) as Reported to House
  • Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026 — Short Title(s) as Introduced

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 8481 under Crime and Law Enforcement, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 3 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 8481’s is Crime and Law Enforcement.

hr8481/policy-areas.txt
Crime and Law EnforcementAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 8481 carries 3 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Crime victims to Violent crime.

hr8481/subjects.txt
Crime victimsCriminal procedure and sentencingViolent crime

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 8481, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 72 (Thursday, April 23, 2026)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. HAMADEH of Arizona:H.R. 8481.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the Constitution of theUnited States.[Page H3092]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com