1 | 1 | | I |
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2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
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3 | 3 | | 1 |
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4 | 4 | | STSESSION H. R. 2481 |
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5 | 5 | | To require online dating service providers to provide fraud ban notifications |
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6 | 6 | | to online dating service members, and for other purposes. |
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7 | 7 | | IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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8 | 8 | | MARCH31, 2025 |
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9 | 9 | | Mr. V |
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10 | 10 | | ALADAO(for himself, Ms. PETTERSEN, Mr. GOLDMANof Texas, and Mr. |
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11 | 11 | | S |
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12 | 12 | | UOZZI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- |
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13 | 13 | | mittee on Energy and Commerce |
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14 | 14 | | A BILL |
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15 | 15 | | To require online dating service providers to provide fraud |
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16 | 16 | | ban notifications to online dating service members, and |
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17 | 17 | | for other purposes. |
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18 | 18 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 |
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19 | 19 | | tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 |
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20 | 20 | | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 |
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21 | 21 | | This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Romance Scam Pre-4 |
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22 | 22 | | vention Act’’. 5 |
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23 | 23 | | SEC. 2. ROMANCE SCAM PREVENTION. 6 |
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24 | 24 | | (a) F |
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25 | 25 | | RAUDBANNOTIFICATION.— 7 |
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26 | 26 | | (1) I |
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27 | 27 | | N GENERAL.—An online dating service pro-8 |
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28 | 28 | | vider shall provide to a member of the online dating 9 |
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30 | 30 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2 |
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31 | 31 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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32 | 32 | | service a fraud ban notification if the member has 1 |
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33 | 33 | | received a message through the online dating service 2 |
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34 | 34 | | from a banned member of the online dating service. 3 |
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35 | 35 | | (2) R |
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36 | 36 | | EQUIRED CONTENTS .—A fraud ban notifi-4 |
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37 | 37 | | cation under paragraph (1) shall include the fol-5 |
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38 | 38 | | lowing: 6 |
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39 | 39 | | (A) The username or other profile identi-7 |
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40 | 40 | | fier of the banned member, as well as the most 8 |
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41 | 41 | | recent time when the member to whom the noti-9 |
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42 | 42 | | fication is being provided sent or received a 10 |
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43 | 43 | | message through the online dating service to or 11 |
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44 | 44 | | from the banned member. 12 |
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45 | 45 | | (B) A statement, as applicable, that the 13 |
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46 | 46 | | banned member identified in subparagraph (A) 14 |
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47 | 47 | | may have been using a false identity or at-15 |
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48 | 48 | | tempting to defraud members. 16 |
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49 | 49 | | (C) A statement that a member should not 17 |
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50 | 50 | | send cash or another form of currency or per-18 |
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51 | 51 | | sonal financial information to another member. 19 |
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52 | 52 | | (D) Information regarding best practices 20 |
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53 | 53 | | to avoid online fraud or being defrauded by a 21 |
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54 | 54 | | member of an online dating service, which may 22 |
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55 | 55 | | be provided through a link to another web page 23 |
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56 | 56 | | or disclosure. 24 |
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58 | 58 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3 |
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59 | 59 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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60 | 60 | | (E) Contact information to reach the cus-1 |
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61 | 61 | | tomer service department of the online dating 2 |
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62 | 62 | | service provider. 3 |
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63 | 63 | | (3) M |
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64 | 64 | | ANNER AND TIMING.— 4 |
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65 | 65 | | (A) M |
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66 | 66 | | ANNER.—A fraud ban notification 5 |
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67 | 67 | | under paragraph (1) shall be— 6 |
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68 | 68 | | (i) clear and conspicuous; and 7 |
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69 | 69 | | (ii) provided by email, text message, 8 |
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70 | 70 | | or, if consented to by the member receiving 9 |
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71 | 71 | | the fraud ban notification, other appro-10 |
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72 | 72 | | priate means of communication. 11 |
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73 | 73 | | (B) T |
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74 | 74 | | IMING.— 12 |
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75 | 75 | | (i) I |
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76 | 76 | | N GENERAL.—Except as provided 13 |
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77 | 77 | | in clauses (ii) and (iii), an online dating 14 |
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78 | 78 | | service provider shall provide a fraud ban 15 |
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79 | 79 | | notification under paragraph (1) not later 16 |
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80 | 80 | | than 24 hours after the fraud ban is initi-17 |
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81 | 81 | | ated against the banned member. 18 |
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82 | 82 | | (ii) D |
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83 | 83 | | ELAY BASED ON JUDGMENT OF 19 |
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84 | 84 | | PROVIDER.—If, in the judgment of the on-20 |
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85 | 85 | | line dating service provider, the cir-21 |
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86 | 86 | | cumstances require a fraud ban notifica-22 |
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87 | 87 | | tion under paragraph (1) to be provided 23 |
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88 | 88 | | after the 24-hour period described in 24 |
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89 | 89 | | clause (i), the online dating service pro-25 |
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91 | 91 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 4 |
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92 | 92 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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93 | 93 | | vider shall, except as provided in clause 1 |
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94 | 94 | | (iii), provide the notification not later than 2 |
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95 | 95 | | 3 days after the day on which the fraud 3 |
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96 | 96 | | ban is initiated against the banned mem-4 |
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97 | 97 | | ber. 5 |
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98 | 98 | | (iii) D |
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99 | 99 | | ELAY UPON REQUEST OF LAW 6 |
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100 | 100 | | ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL .—If, due to an 7 |
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101 | 101 | | ongoing investigation, a law enforcement 8 |
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102 | 102 | | official requests an online dating service 9 |
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103 | 103 | | provider to delay providing a fraud ban no-10 |
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104 | 104 | | tification under paragraph (1) beyond the 11 |
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105 | 105 | | time when the notification is required to be 12 |
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106 | 106 | | provided under clause (i) or (ii), the online 13 |
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107 | 107 | | dating service provider— 14 |
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108 | 108 | | (I) may not provide the notifica-15 |
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109 | 109 | | tion before the end of the period of 16 |
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110 | 110 | | delay (including any extension of such 17 |
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111 | 111 | | period) requested by the law enforce-18 |
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112 | 112 | | ment official; and 19 |
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113 | 113 | | (II) shall provide the notification 20 |
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114 | 114 | | not later than 3 days after the last 21 |
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115 | 115 | | day of the period of delay (including 22 |
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116 | 116 | | any extension of such period) re-23 |
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117 | 117 | | quested by the law enforcement offi-24 |
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118 | 118 | | cial. 25 |
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120 | 120 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 5 |
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121 | 121 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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122 | 122 | | (4) SAFE HARBOR APPLICABILITY .—An online 1 |
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123 | 123 | | dating service provider is not liable to a member, a 2 |
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124 | 124 | | banned member, or a former member for a claim 3 |
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125 | 125 | | based on an online dating service provider’s action 4 |
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126 | 126 | | to comply with the requirements for providing a 5 |
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127 | 127 | | fraud ban notification under this subsection. 6 |
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128 | 128 | | (b) E |
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129 | 129 | | NFORCEMENT.— 7 |
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130 | 130 | | (1) E |
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131 | 131 | | NFORCEMENT BY THE COMMISSION .— 8 |
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132 | 132 | | (A) U |
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133 | 133 | | NFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OR PRAC -9 |
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134 | 134 | | TICES.—A violation of this section or a regula-10 |
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135 | 135 | | tion promulgated under this section shall be 11 |
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136 | 136 | | treated as a violation of a rule defining an un-12 |
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137 | 137 | | fair or deceptive act or practice under section 13 |
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138 | 138 | | 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission 14 |
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139 | 139 | | Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). 15 |
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140 | 140 | | (B) P |
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141 | 141 | | OWERS OF COMMISSION .— 16 |
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142 | 142 | | (i) I |
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143 | 143 | | N GENERAL.—The Commission 17 |
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144 | 144 | | shall enforce this section in the same man-18 |
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145 | 145 | | ner, by the same means, and with the 19 |
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146 | 146 | | same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as 20 |
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147 | 147 | | though all applicable terms and provisions 21 |
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148 | 148 | | of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 22 |
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149 | 149 | | U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into 23 |
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150 | 150 | | and made a part of this section. 24 |
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152 | 152 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 6 |
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153 | 153 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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154 | 154 | | (ii) PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES .— 1 |
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155 | 155 | | Any person who violates this section shall 2 |
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156 | 156 | | be subject to the penalties and entitled to 3 |
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157 | 157 | | the privileges and immunities provided in 4 |
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158 | 158 | | the Federal Trade Commission Act. 5 |
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159 | 159 | | (iii) A |
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160 | 160 | | UTHORITY PRESERVED .—Noth-6 |
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161 | 161 | | ing in this section may be construed to 7 |
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162 | 162 | | limit the authority of the Commission 8 |
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163 | 163 | | under any other provision of law. 9 |
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164 | 164 | | (2) E |
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165 | 165 | | NFORCEMENT BY STATES .— 10 |
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166 | 166 | | (A) I |
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167 | 167 | | N GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-11 |
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168 | 168 | | graph (B), in any case in which the attorney 12 |
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169 | 169 | | general of a State has reason to believe that an 13 |
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170 | 170 | | interest of the residents of the State has been 14 |
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171 | 171 | | or is threatened or adversely affected by the en-15 |
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172 | 172 | | gagement of any person in an act or practice 16 |
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173 | 173 | | that violates this section, the attorney general 17 |
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174 | 174 | | of the State may, as parens patriae, bring a 18 |
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175 | 175 | | civil action on behalf of the residents of the 19 |
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176 | 176 | | State in an appropriate district court of the 20 |
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177 | 177 | | United States to obtain appropriate relief. 21 |
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178 | 178 | | (B) R |
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179 | 179 | | IGHTS OF THE COMMISSION .— 22 |
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180 | 180 | | (i) N |
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181 | 181 | | OTICE TO THE COMMISSION .— 23 |
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182 | 182 | | (I) I |
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183 | 183 | | N GENERAL.—Except as pro-24 |
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184 | 184 | | vided in subclause (III), before initi-25 |
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186 | 186 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 7 |
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187 | 187 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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188 | 188 | | ating a civil action under subpara-1 |
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189 | 189 | | graph (A), the attorney general of a 2 |
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190 | 190 | | State shall notify the Commission in 3 |
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191 | 191 | | writing that the attorney general in-4 |
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192 | 192 | | tends to bring such civil action. 5 |
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193 | 193 | | (II) C |
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194 | 194 | | ONTENTS.—The notifica-6 |
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195 | 195 | | tion required by subclause (I) shall in-7 |
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196 | 196 | | clude a copy of the complaint to be 8 |
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197 | 197 | | filed to initiate the civil action. 9 |
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198 | 198 | | (III) E |
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199 | 199 | | XCEPTION.—If it is not 10 |
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200 | 200 | | feasible for the attorney general of a 11 |
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201 | 201 | | State to provide the notification re-12 |
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202 | 202 | | quired by subclause (I) before initi-13 |
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203 | 203 | | ating a civil action under subpara-14 |
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204 | 204 | | graph (A), the attorney general shall 15 |
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205 | 205 | | notify the Commission immediately 16 |
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206 | 206 | | upon instituting the civil action. 17 |
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207 | 207 | | (ii) I |
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208 | 208 | | NTERVENTION BY THE COMMIS -18 |
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209 | 209 | | SION.—Upon receiving the notice required 19 |
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210 | 210 | | by clause (i)(I), the Commission may inter-20 |
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211 | 211 | | vene in the civil action and, upon inter-21 |
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212 | 212 | | vening— 22 |
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213 | 213 | | (I) be heard on all matters aris-23 |
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214 | 214 | | ing in the civil action; and 24 |
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216 | 216 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 8 |
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217 | 217 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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218 | 218 | | (II) file petitions for appeal of a 1 |
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219 | 219 | | decision in the civil action. 2 |
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220 | 220 | | (C) L |
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221 | 221 | | IMITATION ON STATE ACTION WHILE 3 |
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222 | 222 | | FEDERAL ACTION IS PENDING .—If the Commis-4 |
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223 | 223 | | sion has instituted a civil action for a violation 5 |
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224 | 224 | | of this section or a regulation promulgated 6 |
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225 | 225 | | under this section, no attorney general of a 7 |
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226 | 226 | | State may bring an action under subparagraph 8 |
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227 | 227 | | (A) during the pendency of that action against 9 |
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228 | 228 | | any defendant named in the complaint of the 10 |
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229 | 229 | | Commission for any violation of this section or 11 |
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230 | 230 | | a regulation promulgated under this section al-12 |
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231 | 231 | | leged in the complaint. 13 |
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232 | 232 | | (D) R |
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233 | 233 | | ULE OF CONSTRUCTION .—For pur-14 |
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234 | 234 | | poses of bringing a civil action under this sub-15 |
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235 | 235 | | section, nothing in this subsection may be con-16 |
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236 | 236 | | strued to prevent the attorney general of a 17 |
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237 | 237 | | State from exercising the powers conferred on 18 |
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238 | 238 | | the attorney general by the laws of the State to 19 |
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239 | 239 | | conduct investigations, to administer oaths or 20 |
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240 | 240 | | affirmations, or to compel the attendance of 21 |
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241 | 241 | | witnesses or the production of documentary or 22 |
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242 | 242 | | other evidence. 23 |
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243 | 243 | | (E) A |
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244 | 244 | | CTIONS BY OTHER STATE OFFI -24 |
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245 | 245 | | CIALS.—In addition to a civil action brought by 25 |
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248 | 248 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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249 | 249 | | an attorney general under subparagraph (A), 1 |
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250 | 250 | | any other consumer protection officer of a State 2 |
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251 | 251 | | who is authorized by the State to do so may 3 |
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252 | 252 | | bring a civil action under subparagraph (A), 4 |
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253 | 253 | | subject to the same requirements and limita-5 |
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254 | 254 | | tions that apply under this paragraph to a civil 6 |
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255 | 255 | | action brought by an attorney general. 7 |
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256 | 256 | | (c) O |
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257 | 257 | | NENATIONALSTANDARD.— 8 |
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258 | 258 | | (1) I |
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259 | 259 | | N GENERAL.—A State, or political subdivi-9 |
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260 | 260 | | sion thereof, may not maintain, enforce, prescribe, 10 |
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261 | 261 | | or continue in effect a provision of any law, rule, 11 |
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262 | 262 | | regulation, requirement, or standard having the 12 |
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263 | 263 | | force and effect of law of the State, or political sub-13 |
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264 | 264 | | division of the State, that requires an online dating 14 |
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265 | 265 | | service provider to notify, prohibits an online dating 15 |
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266 | 266 | | service provider from notifying, or otherwise affects 16 |
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267 | 267 | | the manner in which an online dating service pro-17 |
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268 | 268 | | vider is required or permitted to notify, a member 18 |
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269 | 269 | | of the online dating service that the member has re-19 |
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270 | 270 | | ceived a message from or sent a message to a mem-20 |
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271 | 271 | | ber whose account or profile on the online dating 21 |
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272 | 272 | | service is the subject of a fraud ban through the on-22 |
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273 | 273 | | line dating service. 23 |
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274 | 274 | | (2) R |
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275 | 275 | | ULE OF CONSTRUCTION .—This subsection 24 |
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276 | 276 | | may not be construed to preempt any law of a State 25 |
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278 | 278 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 10 |
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279 | 279 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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280 | 280 | | or political subdivision of a State relating to con-1 |
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281 | 281 | | tracts or torts. 2 |
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282 | 282 | | (d) D |
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283 | 283 | | EFINITIONS.—In this section: 3 |
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284 | 284 | | (1) B |
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285 | 285 | | ANNED MEMBER .—The term ‘‘banned 4 |
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286 | 286 | | member’’ means a member of an online dating serv-5 |
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287 | 287 | | ice whose account or profile on the online dating 6 |
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288 | 288 | | service is the subject of a fraud ban. 7 |
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289 | 289 | | (2) C |
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290 | 290 | | OMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 8 |
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291 | 291 | | means the Federal Trade Commission. 9 |
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292 | 292 | | (3) F |
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293 | 293 | | RAUD BAN.—The term ‘‘fraud ban’’ means 10 |
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294 | 294 | | the termination or suspension of the account or pro-11 |
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295 | 295 | | file of a member of an online dating service because, 12 |
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296 | 296 | | in the judgment of the online dating service pro-13 |
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297 | 297 | | vider, there is a significant risk the member will at-14 |
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298 | 298 | | tempt to obtain cash or another form of currency 15 |
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299 | 299 | | from another member through fraudulent means. 16 |
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300 | 300 | | (4) M |
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301 | 301 | | EMBER.—The term ‘‘member’’ means an 17 |
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302 | 302 | | individual who— 18 |
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303 | 303 | | (A) submits to an online dating service 19 |
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304 | 304 | | provider the information required by the pro-20 |
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305 | 305 | | vider to establish an account or profile on the 21 |
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306 | 306 | | online dating service; and 22 |
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307 | 307 | | (B) is allowed by the provider to establish 23 |
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308 | 308 | | such an account or profile. 24 |
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311 | 311 | | •HR 2481 IH |
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312 | 312 | | (5) ONLINE DATING SERVICE .—The term ‘‘on-1 |
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313 | 313 | | line dating service’’ means a service that— 2 |
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314 | 314 | | (A) is provided through a website or a mo-3 |
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315 | 315 | | bile application; and 4 |
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316 | 316 | | (B) offers members access to dating or ro-5 |
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317 | 317 | | mantic relationships with other members by ar-6 |
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318 | 318 | | ranging or facilitating the social introduction of 7 |
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319 | 319 | | members. 8 |
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320 | 320 | | (6) O |
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321 | 321 | | NLINE DATING SERVICE PROVIDER .—The 9 |
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322 | 322 | | term ‘‘online dating service provider’’ means a per-10 |
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323 | 323 | | son engaged in the business of offering an online 11 |
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324 | 324 | | dating service. 12 |
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325 | 325 | | (7) S |
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326 | 326 | | TATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 13 |
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327 | 327 | | State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 14 |
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328 | 328 | | each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 15 |
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329 | 329 | | United States, and each federally recognized Indian 16 |
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330 | 330 | | Tribe. 17 |
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331 | 331 | | (e) E |
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332 | 332 | | FFECTIVEDATE.—This section shall take effect 18 |
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333 | 333 | | on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment 19 |
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334 | 334 | | of this Act. 20 |
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335 | 335 | | Æ |
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