PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 7, 2023
This bill establishes new criminal offenses related to furnishing sexually explicit material (i.e., books, magazines, newspapers, or other printed material and digital or electronic books) to elementary or secondary schools or state or local educational agencies. It also prohibits federal funds for schools that obtain or educational agencies that distribute such material.
Specifically, the bill makes it a crime for a president, director, manager, or officer of a publishing house to knowingly authorize the furnishing of published material containing a sexually explicit visual depiction to schools or educational agencies. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.
The bill imposes a fine on a publishing house that knowingly furnishes such published material to schools or educational agencies.
The bill also prohibits federal funds from being provided to (1) schools that knowingly obtain such published material, and (2) educational agencies that knowingly distribute such material to schools.
The bill includes exceptions for material with serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
People & committees
Rep. Mills, Cory [R-FL-7] · R–FL
Legislative record
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Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
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: Jul 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.863 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.
Examine H.R.863 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.
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