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Rape Shield Enhancement Act of 2025
To direct the Judicial Conference to submit a report examining an amendment to the Federal Rules of Evidence to further limit admissibility of evidence regarding an alleged victim's sexual behavior or predisposition and to improve privacy protections for admissible evidence.
Summary
- Directs the Judicial Conference to review Federal Rule of Evidence 412 and recommend amendments to further limit admissibility of evidence regarding the sexual behavior or predisposition of alleged sexual assault victims.
- Directs the Judicial Conference to recommend amendments to Rule 412 to improve privacy protections for admissible evidence and limit subsequent disclosures of such evidence.
- Directs the Judicial Conference to review Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26 and recommend amendments to narrow the scope of discovery requests into alleged victims' personal, financial, social, psychological, sexual, medical, or other private records unless directly relevant.
- Directs the Judicial Conference to recommend amendments to Rule 26 to establish clearer privacy protections for alleged victims and limit subsequent disclosures of their private records.
- Directs the Judicial Conference to review Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 16 and recommend similar amendments to narrow discovery scope and establish privacy protections for alleged victims.
- Requires the Judicial Conference to submit all reports to Congress within 180 days of enactment.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
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![Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1]](https://media.civicgate.org/people/d/politicians/M000194.thumb.jpg)
Rep. Mace, Nancy (R-SC) [#1]
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Nancy Mace’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- Employer not reported $65,883
- VETERANS GUARDIAN VA CLAIM CONSULTING $14,700
- BRODIE GENERATIONAL CAPITAL PARTNERS $13,200
- APPLIED MATERIALS $7,100
- MEETING ST CAPITAL $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Nancy Mace → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- May 23, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- May 23, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 23, 2025
Ms. Mace introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To direct the Judicial Conference to submit a report examining an amendment to the Federal Rules of Evidence to further limit admissibility of evidence regarding an alleged victim’s sexual behavior or predisposition and to improve privacy protections for admissible evidence.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Rape Shield Enhancement Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. REPORT ON AMENDMENT TO THE RULES OF EVIDENCE TO FURTHER LIMIT ADMISSIBILITY OF EVIDENCE REGARDING AN ALLEGED VICTIM’S SEXUAL BEHAVIOR OR PREDISPOSITION AND TO IMPROVE PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR ADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Judicial Conference shall submit to Congress—
(1) a report reviewing Rule 412 of the Federal Rules of Evidence, and identify amendments, in accordance with chapter 131 of title 28, United States Code, limited in scope to—
(A) further limiting the admissibility of evidence regarding the sexual behavior or predisposition of an alleged victim of sexual assault; and
(B) improving privacy protections for admissible evidence related to the sexual behavior or predisposition of an alleged victim of sexual assault, including the subsequent disclosure of such evidence;
(2) a report reviewing Rule 26 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and identify amendments, in accordance with chapter 131 of title 28, United States Code, that would—
(A) narrow the scope of permissible discovery requests to limit inquiries into the personal, financial, social, psychological, sexual, medical, or other private or confidential records or history of an alleged victim of sexual assault, unless directly relevant to the case;
(B) establish clearer protections for the privacy of such an alleged victim, including limitations on subsequent disclosures of personal, financial, social, psychological, sexual, medical, or other private or confidential records or history of an alleged victim of sexual assault; and
(C) ensure that discovery practices are consistent with Federal law protecting the rights of such an alleged victim; and
(3) a report reviewing Rule 16 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and identify amendments, in accordance with chapter 131 of title 28, United States Code, that would—
(A) narrow the scope of permissible discovery requests to limit inquiries into the personal, financial, social, psychological, sexual, medical, or other private or confidential records or history of an alleged victim of sexual assault, unless directly relevant to the case;
(B) establish clearer protections for the privacy of such an alleged victim, including limitations on subsequent disclosures of personal, financial, social, psychological, sexual, medical, or other private or confidential records or history of an alleged victim of sexual assault; and
(C) ensure that discovery practices are consistent with Federal law protecting the rights of such an alleged victim. <all>
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