Why it Matters
Three bills targeting child safety, AI regulation, and violent crime are headed toward a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 30, backed by months of lobbying from tech companies, child protection groups, and law enforcement organizations. The business meeting will also advance several judicial nominees, giving the committee a packed agenda that reflects the Republican majority's legislative priorities heading into the summer.
The Bills
Carjacking: S.1572, the Federal Carjacking Enforcement Act, would lower the bar for federal prosecution by replacing the current requirement that prosecutors prove an offender intended to cause death or serious bodily harm with a simpler "knowingly" standard. Sponsored by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), the bill has been in committee since it was introduced in May 2025. The National Insurance Crime Bureau has filed lobbying disclosures each quarter over the past year on motor vehicle theft and related legislation, spending between $30,000 and $50,000 per quarter on issues including carjacking and cargo theft.
AI and minors: S.3062, the GUARD Act, would require companies operating AI chatbots to verify users' ages, disclose that their products are not human, and prohibit minors from accessing AI companions — chatbots designed to simulate emotional relationships. Criminal penalties of up to $100,000 per offense would apply to companies whose chatbots solicit sexual content from minors or encourage self-harm. Sponsored by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), the bill was introduced in October 2025. On the lobbying side, Anthropic PBC spent $50,000 in the first quarter of 2026 on AI safety issues. Pinterest spent $70,000 in the same quarter on age verification, content moderation, and data privacy. NCTA, the Internet and Television Association, spent $80,000 in the first quarter of 2026 on privacy, cybersecurity, age verification, and online safety of minors.
Members have been vocal on the subject. Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) said in April that he introduced the Youth AI Privacy Act "to protect kids from the harms of AI chatbots," citing concerns about advertising, profiling, and addictive design. Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-DE) noted in March that "the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology has created a new and uncharted frontier for cybercrime, fraud, impersonation, and more," pointing to his collaboration with Blackburn on the NO FAKES Act.
Child sexual abuse disclosures: S.3966, TREY'S Law, would void confidentiality clauses in contracts that prevent victims or witnesses from disclosing sexual abuse of minors. Introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in March 2026, the bill would apply retroactively to existing contracts and override state laws permitting enforcement of such clauses. Settlement amounts could still be kept private, but the abuse itself could not be silenced. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) flagged related concerns in April, citing the Durbin-Grassley CHILD Act. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) addressed the sexual abuse of minors directly in an April communication. Organizations including Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Now have spent $10,000 per quarter consistently over the past year lobbying on child sexual abuse prevention funding, while the Tim Tebow Foundation has spent $30,000 per quarter on human trafficking and child exploitation.
The Nominees
The committee will also vote on five nominees: Sheria Akins Clarke to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of South Carolina, Kathleen S. Lane for the District of Montana, Evan Rikhye as Judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands, Kara Marie Westercamp to be a Judge of the U.S. Court of International Trade, and Kenneth Sorenson as U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii. Johnson Teehee II of Oklahoma is also up for consideration as U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) said in April that "the President has been excellent at Judicial Selection" in his second term, noting that Missouri leads the nation with six federal judicial nominees since January 2025.
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