PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Apr 1, 2022
Detective Brian Simonsen Memorial Act of 2022 or the Cell Phone Theft Prevention Act of 2022
This bill sets out requirements to prevent the sale of stolen smartphones.
Specifically, a commercial provider of mobile or data services may not knowingly provide its services on a smartphone that has been reported stolen by an authorized user. When a user makes such a report, the bill further requires that the provider transmit the report to a central registry of stolen smartphones. Providers may not provide their services on a smartphone that is included in the registry.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Additionally, the bill makes it a crime to knowingly
sell a smartphone if its mobile device identification number (i.e., a number or signal that identifies a specific device) is listed as stolen on the registry; or
remove, obliterate, tamper with, or alter the mobile device identification number, including by facilitating such conduct through hardware or software.
Violators are subject to a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.
The bill also requires any smartphone manufactured for the U.S. market to have (1) a mobile device identification number, or (2) anti-theft functionality that is available to the consumer at no cost.
People & committees
Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2] · R–NY
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Oct 3, 2024. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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