H.R. 3577

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for additional prohibitions and enhanced penalties for providing or possessing wireless communications devices in detention facilities, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · May 23, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Bilirakis · Committee: Committee on Energy and Commerce

Table of contents

• H.R. 3577
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Amendment to Communications Act of 1934
  • SEC. 3. Effective date

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the or the .

SEC. 2. Amendment to Communications Act of 1934

• Title V of the Communications Act of 1934 () is amended by adding at the end the following: 47 U.S.C. 501 et seq.
  • (a) Prohibited acts
    • It shall be unlawful for any person—
      • in violation of any Federal or State statute or rule, or order issued under such statute or rule, to provide or attempt to provide to a person held in a detention facility a wireless communications device;
      • to willfully and knowingly facilitate the introduction, in violation of any Federal or State statute or rule, or order issued under such statute or rule, of a wireless communications device into a detention facility; or
      • being a person held in a detention facility, to possess or obtain, or attempt to obtain, a wireless communications device in violation of a Federal or State statute or rule, or order issued under such statute or rule.
  • (b) Penalties
    • (1) Civil forfeiture
      • (A) Amount
        • Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of section 503(b), the amount of any forfeiture penalty determined or imposed under such section for a violation of subsection (a) shall not exceed $50,000 for each violation or each day of a continuing violation, except that the amount assessed for any continuing violation shall not exceed a total of $1,000,000 for any single act or failure to act.
      • (B) No citation required
        • Paragraph (5) of section 503(b) shall not apply in the case of a violation of subsection (a).
      • (C) 2-year statute of limitations
        • Notwithstanding paragraph (6) of section 503(b), no forfeiture penalty for violation of subsection (a) shall be determined or imposed against any person if the violation charged occurred more than 2 years prior to the date of issuance of the notice required by paragraph (3) of section 503(b) or the notice of apparent liability required by paragraph (4) of section 503(b) (as the case may be).
    • (2) Criminal fine
      • Any person who willfully and knowingly violates subsection (a) shall upon conviction thereof be fined not more than $50,000 for each violation, in lieu of the fine provided by section 501 for such a violation. Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede the provisions of section 501 relating to imprisonment or the imposition of a penalty of both fine and imprisonment.
  • (c) Effect on other laws
    • Nothing in this section shall be construed to—
      • prohibit any lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of a law enforcement agency of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State, or of an intelligence agency of the United States; or
      • prevent the chief legal officer, or any other officer, of a State from exercising the powers conferred on such officer by the laws of such State to enforce State law, including punishing those found guilty of violating State law.
  • (d) Definitions
    • In this section:
      • The term means a correctional, detention, or penal facility located within the United States. detention facility
      • The term means— wireless communications device

SEC. 3. Effective date

• The amendment made by this Act shall apply with respect to conduct that occurs after the date of the enactment of this Act.