1. Short title
This Act may be cited as “Carrie’s Law”.
Carrie’s Law
A BILL
To amend title 9 of the United States Code to prohibit the enforcement of predispute arbitration agreements with respect to sexual assault claims.
2. Arbitration of sexual assault claims
In general— Title 9 of the United States Code is amended by adding at the end the following:
“4 Arbitration of sexual assault claims
“401. Definitions
“In this chapter—
“(1) the term predispute arbitration agreement means any agreement to arbitrate a claim that had not yet arisen at the time of the making of the agreement; and
“(2) the term sexual assault means a nonconsensual sexual act or sexual contact, as those terms are defined in section 2246 of title 18, or similar applicable State or Tribal law, including when the victim lacks capacity to consent.
“402. Limit on validity and enforceability
“(a) In general—Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a predispute arbitration agreement shall have no force or effect with respect to a sexual assault claim.
“(b) Related claims
“(1) In general—Subject to paragraph (2), and notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a predispute arbitration agreement shall have no force or effect with respect to a claim asserted by a sexual assault victim that is based upon that sexual assault.
“(2) Sexual assault claim dismissed
“(A) In general—If a court dismisses with prejudice a sexual assault claim that, but for subsection (a), would have been subject to a predispute arbitration agreement—
“(i) the court shall dismiss any other claim that, but for paragraph (1) of this subsection, would have been subject to a predispute arbitration agreement; and
“(ii) the relevant predispute arbitration agreement shall apply with respect to any claim dismissed under clause (i).
“(B) Tolling—Any time period under a predispute arbitration agreement that is applicable to a claim dismissed under subparagraph (A)(i) shall be tolled during the period during which the claim was pending before a Federal court.
“(c) Applicability—An issue as to whether this chapter applies to an arbitration agreement or a claim shall be determined under Federal law. The applicability of this chapter to an agreement to arbitrate or a claim and the force or effect of an agreement to which this chapter applies shall be determined by a court, rather than an arbitrator, irrespective of whether the party resisting arbitration challenges the arbitration agreement specifically or in conjunction with other terms of the contract containing such agreement.”
Technical and conforming amendments—
In general— Title 9 of the United States Code is amended—
in section 2, by inserting “or as otherwise provided in chapter 4” before the period at the end;
in section 208—
in the section heading, by striking “Chapter 1; residual application” and inserting “Application”; and
by adding at the end the following: “This chapter applies to the extent that this chapter is not in conflict with chapter 4.”; and
in section 307—
in the section heading, by striking “Chapter 1; residual application” and inserting “Application”; and
by adding at the end the following: “This chapter applies to the extent that this chapter is not in conflict with chapter 4.”.
Table of sections—
Chapter 2— The table of sections for chapter 2 of title 9, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 208 and inserting the following:
Chapter 3— The table of sections for chapter 3 of title 9, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 307 and inserting the following:
Table of chapters— The table of chapters for title 9, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
3. Prospective effect
This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to any claim that arises on or after such date.