Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017

Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017

TITLE I--PROTECTING YOUNG VICTIMS FROM SEXUAL ABUSE

(Sec. 101) This bill amends the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 to extend the duty to report suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, to adults who are authorized to interact with minor or amateur athletes at an amateur sports organization facility or at an event sanctioned by a national governing body (NGB) or member of an NGB. An NGB is an amateur sports organization that is recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

An authorized adult who fails to report suspected child abuse within a 24-hour period is subject to criminal penalties.

(Sec. 102) The bill amends the federal criminal code to revise civil remedy provisions for a victim of a human trafficking offense or federal sex offense. Among other things, it changes the civil statute of limitations to 10 years from the date the victim reasonably discovers the violation or injury (currently, 10 years from the date the cause of action arose). The bill also extends the statute of limitations for a minor victim of a human trafficking or federal sex offense to file a civil action to 10 years (currently, 3 years) from the date such individual reaches age 18.

TITLE II--UNITED STATES CENTER FOR SAFE SPORT AUTHORIZATION

(Sec. 201) The bill expands the purposes of the U.S. Olympic Committee to include promoting a safe environment in sports that is free from abuse of amateur athletes.

(Sec. 202) The bill designates the United States Center for Safe Sport to serve as the independent national safe sport organization.

The center has jurisdiction over the U.S. Olympic Committee, NGBs, and Paralympic sports organizations with respect to safeguarding amateur athletes from abuse. It must develop training, practices, policies, and procedures to prevent abuse.

NGBs must implement the policies and procedures to prevent abuse.

(Sec. 203) An amateur sports organization that requests an NGB sanction to host an international amateur athletic competition inside the United States or to sponsor U.S. athletes in an international amateur athletic competition outside the United States must implement and comply with the policies and procedures to prevent abuse.

(Sec. 204) An amateur sports organization that is not subject to the center's policies and procedures to prevent abuse must comply with certain general requirements, including to report suspected child abuse and to limit one-on-one contact between an amateur athlete who is a minor and an adult.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov