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H.R. 4239: Parents' Empowerment Act

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H.R. 4239: Parents' Empowerment Act

108th Congress · introduced 2004-04-28 · Families · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2004-04-28 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Hunter, Duncan [R-CA-52] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Parents' Empowerment Act

Plain summary

Parents' Empowerment Act - Authorizes a minor, through a person acting on the minor's behalf, to obtain relief in a civil action in U.S. district court against anyone who knowingly sells or distributes in interstate or foreign commerce an entertainment product containing material that is harmful to minors if: (1) a reasonable person would expect a substantial number of minors to be exposed to the material; and (2) the minor, as a result of exposure to that material, is likely to suffer personal or emotional injury or injury to mental or moral welfare. Provides for recovery of compensatory and punitive damages. Declares it to be an affirmative defense to such action that an act of a parent or guardian who owned the entertainment product was the proximate cause of the minor's exposure to the harmful material. Defines "material that is harmful to minors" as any pornographic communication, picture, image, graphic image file, article, recording, writing, or other pornographic matter of any kind that: (1) is obscene; or (2) violates specified community standards with respect to suitability for minors and lacks sufficient literary, artistic, political, or scientific value to overcome its pernicious effects.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Parents' Empowerment Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Hunter, Duncan [R-CA-52] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-hr4239 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108