September 3, 2026
Mr. Beyer (for himself, Ms. Boebert, Mrs. Kim, and Mr. Khanna) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
To mandate a criminal background check, screening only for offenses that involve violence, sex, stalking, or minors, for any individual involved with an entertainment industry project who will have frequent or private interaction with, or compulsory authority over minors.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Kids Safety on Set Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. In general
Whoever participates in an entertainment industry project in any position where that individual would have supervisory duties or compulsory authority over any minor who is not their biological child or legal ward, or where the duties or activities of that individual would involve frequent or private interaction with any minor who is not their biological child or legal ward, shall be subject to a requirement to successfully pass a criminal background check, within 90 days prior to their first day of work or receipt of entertainment industry project ownership interest, that includes Live Scan fingerprint clearance or equivalent background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, screening only for offenses that involve sex, violence, stalking, or minors, and at the cost of no more than $100 per background check, paid for by the entertainment industry entity.
Sec. 3. Penalty
In the case of any entertainment industry entity that has an employee who is in violation of section 2, the Attorney General may seek a civil monetary penalty against that entertainment industry of not more than twice the total amount of the dollar cost of all project production activity in which such employee is involved, and shall seek a temporary restraining order, ex parte, to immediately halt all project production activity in which such employee is involved, followed by a preliminary or permanent injunction to continue halting all project production activity in which such employee is involved, as necessary, until such employee in violation of section 2 is either no longer in violation of section 2 or is terminated and further, individually holds no beneficial ownership interest in the entertainment project in excess of 2 percent of total equity either directly or indirectly by way of any intermediate entity, parent company, holding company, or special purpose vehicle, while having all special investor rights and privileges, including any right or privilege to be physically present during project production, immediately and permanently revoked.
Sec. 4. Definition
In this Act:
(1)
The term compulsory authority
means authority vested by position, title, beneficial ownership interest, or status as a public figure to compel any minor to perform any action.
(2)
The term employee
means any individual that signs a waiver, release, or legal agreement, including a nondisclosure agreement, with the entertainment industry entity and all credited adults, corporate officers, and beneficial owners with privileged access to production sets or active shooting locations.
(3)
The term entertainment industry entity
—
(A)
means an entity that, by way of an entertainment industry project, creates, produces, promotes, or distributes a work of entertainment intended to be heard, viewed, or otherwise experienced by an audience, including live and recorded theater, dance, music, and fashion productions, motion pictures, live and recorded television broadcasts (including unscripted television and commercials), linear video games and recorded video content monetized by the entertainment industry entity through online streaming subscription revenues or online advertising revenues; but
(B)
does not mean an entity that solely creates, produces, promotes, or distributes a work of journalism and this act shall not abridge or encumber freedom of the press or apply to the creation, production, promotion or distribution of any work released under a Creative Commons license.
(4)
The term minor
means a person under 18 years of age.
(5)
The term supervisory duties
means duties that require an individual to supervise the activities of any minor who is not their biological child or legal ward.
(6)
The term entertainment industry project
means a discrete collaborative enterprise to create, produce, promote, or distribute a work of entertainment intended to be heard, viewed, or played by an audience, including only those works of entertainment defined in paragraph (3)(A).