[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 542 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 542

   To amend title 9, United States Code, with respect to arbitration.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 7, 2017

 Mr. Whitehouse (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
   Franken, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Merkley) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                             the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 9, United States Code, with respect to arbitration.

    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 ``Safety Over Arbitration Act of 
2017''.

SEC. 2. ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES INVOLVING HAZARDS TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND 
              SAFETY.

    (a) In General.--Title 9, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:

``CHAPTER 4--ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES INVOLVING HAZARDS TO PUBLIC HEALTH 
                               AND SAFETY

``Sec.
``401. Definition.
``402. Election of arbitration.

``SEC. 401. DEFINITION.

    ``In this chapter, the term `hazard to public health or safety' 
means an activity, substance, or condition that has a potential to 
cause harm to the health or safety of the public.

``SEC. 402. ELECTION OF ARBITRATION.

    ``(a) Consent Required.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, whenever a contract between an individual and another party 
requires the use of arbitration to resolve a claim or controversy 
alleging facts relevant to a hazard to public health or safety, 
arbitration may be used to resolve such claim or controversy only if, 
after such controversy arises, all parties to such controversy consent 
in writing to use arbitration.
    ``(b) Explanation Required.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, whenever arbitration is elected to resolve a claim or controversy 
pursuant to subsection (a), the arbitrator shall provide the parties to 
such contract with a written explanation of the factual and legal basis 
for any award or other outcome, which shall not be made under seal by 
the arbitrator or a court.
    ``(c) Application.--This section shall apply to any contract 
entered into after the date of enactment of this chapter.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of chapters for 
title 9, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``4. Arbitration of disputes involving hazards to public         401''.
                            health and safety.
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