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Bill114th CongressFiled Nov 16, 2015Crime and Law Enforcement
H.R. 4002

Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015

Bill journey · stage 2 of 5

Under committee review

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What it doesSummary reported to house without amendment (Dec 23, 2016)

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish a default mens rea standard (i.e., a state of mind requirement) for a federal criminal offense whose defining statute does not specify a required state of mind. A conviction for such federal criminal offense requires proof that a defendant acted knowingly.

Additionally, if the offense consists of conduct that a reasonable person would not know or have reason to believe was unlawful, then a conviction requires proof that the defendant knew or had reason to believe such conduct was unlawful.

The bill establishes definitions for the terms "state" and "serious bodily injury" that are generally applicable with respect to federal criminal law. It eliminates various repeated definitions of such terms.

(Sec. 5) It eliminates references to the Canal Zone (i.e., the Panama Canal Zone).

(Sec. 6) The bill amends the federal judicial code to require the Department of Justice to develop and update, index, and publish an inventory of all federal criminal offenses, including violations of agency rules or regulations that constitute or define federal criminal offenses.

What just happenedDec 23, 2016

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 699.

Who’s behind it

Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5](R-WI)Sponsor
8 cosponsors2 D6 R
Read on Congress.gov
8cosponsors1committees10actions
  1. Dec 23, 2016CalendarsH12410

    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 699.

  2. Dec 23, 2016CommitteeH12200

    Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 114-889.

    Judiciary Committee
  3. Dec 23, 2016Committee5000

    Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 114-889.

    Judiciary Committee
  4. Nov 18, 2015Committee

    Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

    Judiciary Committee
  5. Nov 18, 2015Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Judiciary Committee
  6. Nov 17, 2015Committee

    Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Discharged.

    Judiciary Committee
  7. Nov 16, 2015IntroReferralH11100

    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

    Judiciary Committee
  8. Nov 16, 2015Committee

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

    Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
  9. Nov 16, 2015IntroReferralIntro-H

    Introduced in House

  10. Nov 16, 2015IntroReferral1000

    Introduced in House

Reported to House without amendmentDec 23, 201679

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish a default mens rea standard (i.e., a state of mind requirement) for a federal criminal offense whose defining statute does not specify a required state of mind. A conviction for such federal criminal offense requires proof that a defendant acted knowingly.

Additionally, if the offense consists of conduct that a reasonable person would not know or have reason to believe was unlawful, then a conviction requires proof that the defendant knew or had reason to believe such conduct was unlawful.

The bill establishes definitions for the terms "state" and "serious bodily injury" that are generally applicable with respect to federal criminal law. It eliminates various repeated definitions of such terms.

(Sec. 5) It eliminates references to the Canal Zone (i.e., the Panama Canal Zone).

(Sec. 6) The bill amends the federal judicial code to require the Department of Justice to develop and update, index, and publish an inventory of all federal criminal offenses, including violations of agency rules or regulations that constitute or define federal criminal offenses.

Introduced in HouseNov 16, 2015

Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015

This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish a default mens rea standard (i.e., a state of mind requirement) for a federal criminal offense whose defining statute does not specify a required state of mind.

A conviction for such federal criminal offense requires proof that a defendant acted knowingly. Additionally, if the offense consists of conduct that a reasonable person would not know or have reason to believe was unlawful, then a conviction requires proof that the defendant knew or had reason to believe such conduct was unlawful.

Finally, the bill amends the federal judicial code to require the Department of Justice to develop and update, index, and publish an inventory of all federal criminal offenses, including violations of agency rules or regulations that constitute or define federal criminal offenses.

Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015 — Informed