HR-8481 — Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026

YourVoice.Now Summary

Criminal Justice & Due ProcessYour Money

Victims of federal violent and sex crimes could get a no-contact order that lasts the offender's lifetime.

Criminal Justice & Due Process

Lifetime no-contact orders for crime victims — set at sentencing

The order would apply to federal felony crimes of violence and federal felony sex crimes, including trafficking and child exploitation. It would stay in force until the offender dies.

Judge's leeway to say no — the order is mandatory

Today a judge weighs whether to order no contact. Under this bill the court would have to issue the order once the victim or the prosecutor asks.

Ways to lift the order — narrow, and a hearing required

A victim could ask to end it if the sentence was pardoned or cut short, or if their situation changed. The offender could ask only if the conviction was dismissed or overturned on appeal.

Your Money

Court fees for crime victims — none for these orders

No court could charge a victim anything to get one of these orders. The bill bars any fee tied to the request.

More about this bill

If you are the victim of a federal violent crime or sex crime, you could get a no-contact order. It would last the rest of the offender's life. The judge would have to issue it at sentencing if you or a prosecutor asks for it. You would pay no fee. The ban would cover any contact at all. That includes calls, texts, mail, social media, and messages passed through a friend. Breaking it would be treated as contempt of court. Ending the order would take a hearing. You could ask to end it if the sentence was pardoned or your situation changed. The offender could ask only if the conviction was thrown out.

Legislative Subjects

Crime victimsCriminal procedure and sentencingViolent crime

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: House
Status: summarized
Action: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 636.
Action Date: 2026-07-06
Date Added: 2026-08-26
Source: Congress.gov →

Like reading a bill in plain English?

We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.