The legislation aims to clarify the required state of mind for convictions of criminal offenses that do not explicitly specify a state of mind.
It introduces definitions for key terms, including “covered offense,” “knowingly,” “state of mind,” and “willfully.”
A “covered offense” is defined as an offense punishable by imprisonment or a fine of at least $2,500, excluding certain specified offenses.
The default requirement is that the government must prove the defendant acted with the specified state of mind for each element of the offense, and “knowingly” for elements without a specified state of mind.
If a covered offense specifies a state of mind without detailing which elements it applies to, that state of mind applies to all elements unless stated otherwise.
Exceptions to the default requirement include elements where Congress intended not to require proof of state of mind, elements establishing jurisdiction or venue, and elements where applying the default would lessen the required mental culpability.
The legislation applies to offenses committed on or after its enactment and to offenses committed before enactment unless certain conditions are met.
It ensures that subsequent laws do not repeal or modify this section unless explicitly stated.