To amend section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and subpart 1 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to require States receiving funds under such provisions to have in effect a State law providing for a criminal penalty on an individual who fails to report having knowledge of another individual's commission of a crime of violence or a sex crime against a person under the age of 18.

Referred to House Ways and Means

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Sep 15, 1998

Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and title IV (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act to require States receiving funds under such Acts to have in effect a State law providing for a criminal penalty on an individual who, having knowledge of another individual's commission of a crime of violence or a sex crime against a person under age 18, fails to report such crime to an appropriate State authority.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-35] · D–CA

Committees

Ways and Means Committee
Education and Workforce Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Sep 15, 1998
Referred to House Ways and Means
Sep 15, 1998
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sep 15, 1998
Referred to House Education and the Workforce
Sep 15, 1998
Introduced in House
Sep 15, 1998
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Sep 15, 1998 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Jul 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.4576 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4576, 105th Congress: To amend section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and subpart 1 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to require States receiving funds under such provisions to have in effect a State law providing for a criminal penalty on an individual who fails to report having knowledge of another individual's commission of a crime of violence or a sex crime against a person under the age of 18.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/4576

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1998-09-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/hr4576/BILLS-105hr4576ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-07-21T19:46:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.4576 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.4576 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4576, 105th Congress: To amend section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and subpart 1 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to require States receiving funds under such provisions to have in effect a State law providing for a criminal penalty on an individual who fails to report having knowledge of another individual's commission of a crime of violence or a sex crime against a person under the age of 18.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/4576

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1998-09-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/hr4576/BILLS-105hr4576ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-07-21T19:46:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4576 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.4576 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4576, 105th Congress: To amend section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and subpart 1 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to require States receiving funds under such provisions to have in effect a State law providing for a criminal penalty on an individual who fails to report having knowledge of another individual's commission of a crime of violence or a sex crime against a person under the age of 18.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/4576

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1998-09-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/hr4576/BILLS-105hr4576ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-07-21T19:46:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4576 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.4576 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4576, 105th Congress: To amend section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and subpart 1 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to require States receiving funds under such provisions to have in effect a State law providing for a criminal penalty on an individual who fails to report having knowledge of another individual's commission of a crime of violence or a sex crime against a person under the age of 18.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/4576

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1998-09-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/hr4576/BILLS-105hr4576ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-07-21T19:46:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4576 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.