HR 8481: Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026

HR 8481 in plain English: This bill requires federal courts to issue lifetime no-contact orders against defendants convicted of certain violent or sexual felonies. The order must be imposed at sentencing and can only be lifted through specified legal procedures. Victims cannot be charged any fee to obtain such an order.

Stated purpose

To require federal courts to issue lifetime no-contact orders protecting victims when a defendant is convicted of certain federal violent or sexual felony crimes. The order would last for the defendant's natural lifetime and be issued at sentencing, at no cost to the victim.

Key points

• Mandates lifetime no-contact orders for defendants convicted of violent or sexual felonies in federal court
• Orders must be issued at sentencing upon motion by the victim or the federal government
• No fees may be charged to victims for obtaining a no-contact order
• Orders remain in effect for the defendant's lifetime unless terminated through specified procedures

Arguments supporters make

• Victims of serious violent or sexual crimes deserve lasting legal protection from their offenders, and a lifetime order ensures that protection does not expire after the sentence is served.
• Making the order automatic at sentencing removes the burden from victims having to repeatedly seek protection through separate legal proceedings, which can be costly and retraumatizing.
• Charging victims fees to obtain protection from their own offenders is unjust, and this bill rightly eliminates that financial barrier.

Arguments opponents make

• A mandatory lifetime order with no expiration may be disproportionate in cases where the offense, while serious, involved circumstances where permanent separation is not necessary, limiting judicial flexibility to fit punishment to individual cases.
• Defendants who have served their sentence, rehabilitated, and rebuilt their lives could face permanent legal restrictions even in situations where the victim themselves may eventually wish to move on, though the victim can petition for termination.
• The broad definition of 'contact' — including indirect and automated communication — could create legal ambiguity and make it difficult for defendants to know with certainty when they are in violation, raising due process concerns.

Tradeoffs

Providing victims with strong, lasting legal protection comes at the cost of limiting a court's discretion to tailor orders to individual case circumstances, and places a permanent legal obligation on defendants even after they have completed their criminal sentence.

Current status in Congress: Passed House.

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