H.R. 156: Anti-Swatting Act of 2019
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H.R. 156: Anti-Swatting Act of 2019
116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-03 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-03 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
Anti-Swatting Act of 2019
Plain summary
Anti-Swatting Act of 2019 This bill increases penalties for the transmission of misleading or inaccurate caller-identification information with the intent to trigger an emergency response by (1) a government law-enforcement agency; (2) a government agency or nonprofit organization that provides fire, rescue, or emergency medical services; or (3) a public-safety answering point (i.e., a facility that has been designated to receive emergency calls and route them to emergency service personnel). Specifically, the bill provides for imprisonment, the imposition of additional criminal fines, or both. The court shall order a defendant who has been convicted of such an offense to reimburse any such entity for expenses incurred in responding to such conduct. The bill treats such an order of reimbursement as a civil judgment.
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
Anti-Swatting Act of 2019
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
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The strongest published arguments
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Alternatives
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16] · 0 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
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.
Words on this page, explained (1)
- Bill
- A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr156.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>
Record fed-us-cong116-hr156 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116