---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 6504"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "6504"
heading: "Actions by States"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/6504"
units:
  - "Chapter 91 — Children’s Online Privacy Protection"
---

# §6504. Actions by States

- (a) **In general—**
  - (1) **Civil actions—** In any case in which the attorney general of a [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) has reason to believe that an interest of the residents of that [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) has been or is threatened or adversely affected by the engagement of any [person](/usc/15/6501.md?p=11) in a practice that violates any regulation of the [Commission](/usc/15/6501.md?p=3) prescribed under [section 6502(b) of this title](/usc/15/6502.md?p=b), the [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2), as parens patriae, may bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of the [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) in a district court of the United States of appropriate jurisdiction to—
    - (A) enjoin that practice;
    - (B) enforce compliance with the regulation;
    - (C) obtain damage, restitution, or other compensation on behalf of residents of the [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2); or
    - (D) obtain such other relief as the court may consider to be appropriate.
  - (2) **Notice—**
    - (A) **In general—** Before filing an action under [paragraph (1)](#a-1), the attorney general of the [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) involved shall provide to the [Commission](/usc/15/6501.md?p=3)—
      - (i) written notice of that action; and
      - (ii) a copy of the complaint for that action.
    - (B) **Exemption—**
      - (i) **In general—** [Subparagraph (A)](#a-2-A) shall not apply with respect to the filing of an action by an attorney general of a [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) under this subsection, if the attorney general determines that it is not feasible to provide the notice described in that subparagraph before the filing of the action.
      - (ii) **Notification—** In an action described in [clause (i)](#a-2-B-i), the attorney general of a [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) shall provide notice and a copy of the complaint to the [Commission](/usc/15/6501.md?p=3) at the same time as the attorney general files the action.
- (b) **Intervention—**
  - (1) **In general—** On receiving notice under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2), the [Commission](/usc/15/6501.md?p=3) shall have the right to intervene in the action that is the subject of the notice.
  - (2) **Effect of intervention—** If the [Commission](/usc/15/6501.md?p=3) intervenes in an action under [subsection (a)](#a), it shall have the right—
    - (A) to be heard with respect to any matter that arises in that action; and
    - (B) to file a petition for appeal.
  - (3) **Amicus curiae—** Upon application to the court, a [person](/usc/15/6501.md?p=11) whose self-regulatory guidelines have been approved by the [Commission](/usc/15/6501.md?p=3) and are relied upon as a defense by any defendant to a proceeding under this section may file amicus curiae in that proceeding.
- (c) **Construction—** For purposes of bringing any civil action under [subsection (a)](#a), nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent an attorney general of a [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general by the laws of that [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) to—
  - (1) conduct investigations;
  - (2) administer oaths or affirmations; or
  - (3) compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of documentary and other evidence.
- (d) **Actions by Commission—** In any case in which an action is instituted by or on behalf of the [Commission](/usc/15/6501.md?p=3) for violation of any regulation prescribed under [section 6502 of this title](/usc/15/6502.md), no [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) may, during the pendency of that action, institute an action under [subsection (a)](#a) against any defendant named in the complaint in that action for violation of that regulation.
- (e) **Venue; service of process—**
  - (1) **Venue—** Any action brought under [subsection (a)](#a) may be brought in the district court of the United States that meets applicable requirements relating to venue under [section 1391 of title 28](/usc/28/1391.md).
  - (2) **Service of process—** In an action brought under [subsection (a)](#a), process may be served in any district in which the defendant—
    - (A) is an inhabitant; or
    - (B) may be found.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title XIII, § 1305, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–733.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

For effective date of section, see section 1308 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as a note under section 6501 of this title.