Sponsors (3)
The bill protects people tied to federal riot offenses from vehicle-related civil liability and prevents parallel civil-criminal proceedings, but does so at the cost of limiting victims' ability to obtain timely compensation and easing the standards by which defendants can avoid civil responsibility.
Defendants accused or convicted of federal riot (18 U.S.C. §2101) can avoid civil liability for vehicle-related injuries or property damage arising from the riot, reducing their exposure to civil damages.
Civil defendants can obtain a mandatory stay of related civil claims while a criminal prosecution proceeds, reducing the risk of simultaneous proceedings and inconsistent outcomes between criminal and civil cases.
Victims of vehicle-caused injury, wrongful death, or property damage may be barred from obtaining civil damages if the defendant proves or is convicted of participating in a riot, significantly reducing victims' ability to recover compensation.
The bill allows defendants to establish riot-related conduct in civil cases by a preponderance of the evidence (a lower civil standard), making it easier for defendants to avoid liability even without a criminal conviction and limiting victims' recourse.
Mandatory stays of civil suits while criminal cases proceed can delay victims' ability to resolve claims, increase legal costs, and create uncertainty for plaintiffs and local governments seeking timely relief.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal affirmative defense for vehicle-caused harm during a riot and allows courts to stay related civil damage suits while the criminal case is pending.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Randy Fine · Last progress August 1, 2025
Designates an official short title for the Act and creates a new federal affirmative defense for defendants who cause personal injury, wrongful death, or property damage using a motor vehicle while participating in a riot. The defense can be established either by a conviction for the federal crime of riot or by proving commission of that crime by a preponderance of the evidence, and a defendant who raises the defense can obtain a court-ordered stay of related civil damage suits while the related criminal prosecution is pending unless the court finds the criminal conviction would not support the defense.