Privacy Protection for Rape Victims Act of 1978
Public Law 95-540 · H.R. 4727 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 28, 1978 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman (D-NY-16)
Cosponsors (20): Rep. Norman D’Amours, Rep. Mendel Davis,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Privacy Protection for Rape Victims Act - Amends the Federal Rules of Evidence to prohibit in cases of rape or assault with intent to rape the introduction of reputation or opinion evidence of a person's past sexual behavior.
Permits the introduction of evidence of specific instances of a person's past sexual behavior only if such evidence is offered by the accused and is either: (1) on the issue of whether the accused was the source of pregnancy, disease, semen, or injury; (2) on the issue of whether the alleged victim consented to the sexual behavior with respect to which the crime is alleged and is restricted to the victim's past sexual relations with the defendant; or (3) constitutionally required to be admitted. Requires an accused who intends to introduce any such evidence to make a written motion to the court accompanied by a written offer of proof. Directs the court to hold a hearing on any such motion in chambers to determine admissibility.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Oct 28, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-540.
- Oct 24, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 13, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 12, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Oct 10, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Mar 9, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.