Child Protection Legislation | Contact Congress
Every year, Congress passes scores of new laws dealing with a huge variety of issues from national security to the economy. In the midst of this, it is all too easy for legislation intended to protect children from abuse and neglect to fall by the wayside. For this reason, it is vital that we keep the pressure on members of Congress to pass much needed legislation designed to protect the most innocent and defenseless in society – our children.
Here you will learn about important legislation that is pending before Congress and be able to personally email letters of support to your Congressperson and Senators. We urge you to let them know that you stand with Childhelp in requesting their support for the following bills.
S. 581 Child Care Protection Act of 2011
Summary: Child Care Protection Act of 2011 – Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to require states that receive funds under such Act to: (1) require and conduct criminal background checks for staff members of child care providers; (2) prohibit the employment of a child care staff member who refuses to consent to a criminal background check, makes a false statement in connection with such background check, is registered as a sex offender, or is a convicted felon involving certain crimes; and (3) provide criminal background checks to child care providers upon request.
For more information on the bill’s status, sponsors, and full text, please Click Here.
S. 596 Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence & Victim Support Act
Summary: Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2011 – Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Attorney General should implement changes to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database to ensure that a child will be automatically designated as an endangered juvenile if the child has been reported missing three times in a year and that the database will cross-reference newly entered reports with historical records and include a visual cue on the record of a child designated as an endangered juvenile; (2) funds awarded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program should be used to provide education, training, deterrence, and prevention programs relating to sex trafficking of minors; (3) states should treat minor victims of sex trafficking as crime victims rather than as criminal defendants or juvenile delinquents and make such minors eligible for compensation; and (4) demand for commercial sex with minors must be deterred through consistent law enforcement.
For more information on the bill’s status, sponsors, and full text, please Click Here.
H.R. 1895 Do Not Track Kids Act of 2011
Summary: The bill, which amends the historic Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), will extend, enhance and update the provisions relating to the collection, use and disclosure of children’s personal information and establishes new protections for personal information of children and teens.
The “Do Not Track Kids Act of 2011” strengthens privacy protections for children and teens by:
- Requiring online companies to explain the types of personal information collected, how that information is used and disclosed, and the policies for collection of personal information;
- Requiring online companies to obtain parental consent for collection of children’s personal information;
- Prohibiting online companies from using personal information of children and teens for targeted marketing purposes;
- Establishing a “Digital Marketing Bill of Rights for Teens” that limits the collection of personal information of teens, including geolocation information of children and teens;
- Creating an “Eraser Button” for parents and children by requiring companies to permit users to eliminate publicly available personal information content when technologically feasible
For more information on the bill’s status, sponsors, and full text, please Click Here.
