[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1426 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1426
To amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to expand the
purposes of the corporation, to designate the United States Center for
Safe Sport, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 22, 2017
Mr. Thune (for himself and Mr. Nelson) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to expand the
purposes of the corporation, to designate the United States Center for
Safe Sport, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States Center for Safe Sport
Authorization Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF THE PURPOSES OF THE CORPORATION.
Section 220503 of title 36, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (13), by striking ``; and'' and inserting
a semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(15) to promote a safe environment in sports that is free
from abuse, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, of
any amateur athlete.''.
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF THE UNITED STATES CENTER FOR SAFE SPORT.
(a) In General.--Chapter 2205 of title 36, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Subchapter III--United States Center for Safe Sport
``220531. Designation of United States Center for Safe Sport.
``220532. Additional duties.
``220533. Records, audits, and reports.
``220534. Authorization of appropriations.
``Sec. 220531. Designation of United States Center for Safe Sport
``(a) In General.--The United States Center for Safe Sport
(referred to in this subchapter as the `Center') shall--
``(1) serve as the independent national safe sport
organization and be recognized worldwide as the independent
national safe sport organization for the United States;
``(2) exercise jurisdiction over the corporation, each
national governing body, and each paralympic sports
organization with regard to safeguarding amateur athletes
against abuse, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse,
in sports;
``(3) maintain an office for education and outreach that
shall develop training, oversight practices, policies, and
procedures to prevent the abuse, including emotional, physical,
and sexual abuse, of amateur athletes participating in amateur
athletic activities through national governing bodies and
paralympic sports organizations;
``(4) ensure that the policies and procedures under
paragraph (3) include requirements that all national governing
bodies and paralympic sports organizations follow the policies
and procedures of the Center;
``(5) maintain an office for response and resolution that
shall establish mechanisms that allow for the reporting,
investigation, and adjudication of alleged sexual abuse in
violation of the Center's policies and procedures; and
``(6) ensure that the mechanisms under paragraph (5)
provide fair notice and an opportunity to be heard and protect
the privacy and safety of complainants.
``(b) Policies and Procedures.--
``(1) In general.--The Center may, in its discretion,
utilize a neutral arbitration body and develop policies and
procedures to resolve allegations of sexual abuse within its
jurisdiction.
``(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall
be construed as altering, superseding, or otherwise affecting
the right of an amateur athlete to pursue criminal or civil
justice through the courts.
``(c) Limitation on Liability.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Center, and each national governing body and paralympic sports
organization, including any officer, employee, or agent
thereof, shall not be liable for damages in any civil action
for defamation, libel, slander, or damage to reputation arising
out of any action or communication, if the action arises from
the execution of the responsibilities or functions described in
this section, section 220532, or section 220533.
``(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply in any
action in which the Center, a national governing body, or a
paralympic sports organization, or an officer, employee, or
agent thereof, acted with actual malice, or provided
information or took action not pursuant to this section,
section 220532, or section 220533.
``Sec. 220532. Additional duties.
``(a) In General.--The Center shall--
``(1) develop training, oversight practices, policies, and
procedures for implementation by a national governing body or
paralympic sports organization to prevent the abuse, including
emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, of any amateur athlete;
and
``(2) include in the policies and procedures developed
under section 220531(a)(3)--
``(A) a requirement that all adult members of a
national governing body, a paralympic sports
organization, or a facility under the jurisdiction of a
national governing body or paralympic sports
organization, and all adults authorized by such members
to interact with an amateur athlete, report immediately
any allegation of sexual abuse of an amateur athlete
who is a minor to law enforcement authorities and other
appropriate authorities, including the Center, whenever
such members or adults learn of facts leading them to
suspect reasonably that an amateur athlete who is a
minor has suffered an incident of sexual abuse;
``(B) a mechanism, approved by a trained expert on
child abuse, that allows a complainant to report easily
an incident of sexual abuse to the Center, a national
governing body, law enforcement authorities, or other
appropriate authorities;
``(C) reasonable procedures to limit one-on-one
interactions between an amateur athlete who is a minor
and an adult (who is not the minor's legal guardian) at
a facility under the jurisdiction of a national
governing body or paralympic sports organization
without being in an observable and interruptible
distance from another adult, except under exigent
circumstances;
``(D) procedures to prohibit retaliation, by any
national governing body or paralympic sports
organization, against any individual who makes a report
under subparagraph (A) or subparagraph (B);
``(E) oversight procedures, including regular and
random audits conducted by subject matter experts
unaffiliated with a national governing body or a
paralympic sports organization of each national
governing body and paralympic sports organization to
ensure that policies and procedures developed under
that section are followed correctly and that consistent
training is offered and given to all adult members, and
subject to parental consent, to members who are minors,
regarding prevention of sexual abuse; and
``(F) a mechanism by which a national governing
body or paralympic sports organization can--
``(i) share confidentially a report of
suspected sexual abuse of an amateur athlete
who is a minor by a member of a national
governing body or paralympic sports
organization, or an adult authorized by a
national governing body or paralympic sports
organization to interact with an amateur
athlete who is a minor, with each of the other
national governing bodies, paralympic sports
organizations, or facilities under the control
of such entities; and
``(ii) withhold providing to an adult who
is the subject of an allegation of sexual abuse
authority to interact with an amateur athlete
who is a minor until the resolution of such
allegation.
``(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to limit the ability of a national governing body or
paralympic sports organization to impose an interim measure to prevent
an individual who is the subject of an allegation of sexual abuse from
interacting with an amateur athlete.
``Sec. 220533. Records, audits, and reports
``(a) Records.--The Center shall keep correct and complete records
of account.
``(b) Report.--The Center shall submit an annual report to
Congress, including--
``(1) an audit conducted and submitted in accordance with
section 10101; and
``(2) a description of the activities of the Center.
``Sec. 220534. Authorization of appropriations
``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Center--
``(1) for fiscal year 2017, $1,000,000;
``(2) for fiscal year 2018, $1,000,000;
``(3) for fiscal year 2019, $1,000,000;
``(4) for fiscal year 2020, $1,000,000; and
``(5) for fiscal year 2021, $1,000,000.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 220501(b) of title 36, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (8) as
paragraphs (5) through (9), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3), the following:
``(4) `Center' means the United States Center for Safe
Sport designated under section 220531.''.
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