Bill · H.R. 9708· House(119-HR-9708)
SECURED Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 7/15/2026
- Last activity
- 7/15/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Sponsored by
- Diana Harshbarger
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The SECURED Act of 2026 aims to provide transparency regarding short-term rental listings. It requires covered platforms to implement procedures to ask property owners if they are registered child sex offenders. If an owner discloses such status, the platform must provide a clear public disclosure and a link to a public sex offender registry to prospective guests before the sale. Property owners are required to respond to these requests and cannot provide false information. The Federal Trade Commission is tasked with enforcement, treating violations as unfair or deceptive acts. Additionally, State attorneys general may bring civil actions to protect their residents.
Yes
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+6
The bill protects consumers by requiring transparency regarding the status of property owners and empowering the FTC to penalize deceptive practices.
Would children be better off under this?+5
The bill creates safety safeguards by disclosing registered child sex offender status to potential renters.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+4
The bill increases transparency by requiring platforms to disclose specific information about property owners to prospective guests.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-3
Property owners face new obligations to respond to inquiries and risks of legal action if they provide false information.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased Transparency for Guests: Prospective guests will receive a clear and conspicuous public disclosure if a property owner is a registered child sex offender, including a link to a public sex offender registry for independent verification (Section 2(a)(1)(B)).
-
Enhanced Consumer Protection: The bill treats violations as unfair or deceptive acts or practices, allowing the Federal Trade Commission to enforce the law and protect users (Section 2(a)(1) and Section 2(b)(1)(A)).
-
State-Level Protections: State attorneys general and officials have the authority to bring civil actions on behalf of residents to enjoin illegal practices, seek damages, or obtain restitution (Section 2(b)(2)(A)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Compliance Burdens for Platforms: Providers of covered platforms must implement and maintain reasonable procedures to request disclosures from property owners prior to publishing listings (Section 2(a)(1)(A)).
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Obligations for Property Owners: Property owners who are registered child sex offenders are legally required to respond to requests from digital platforms regarding their status (Section 2(a)(2)(A)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+6
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+4
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+5Good For Business Owners-3
- 7/15/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Introduced in House