Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., introduced H.R. 8481, the Kayleigh's Law Act of 2026, which passed the House unanimously Monday and now heads to the Senate. The bill requires courts to issue lifetime no-contact injunctions against convicted offenders of federal sex crimes and violent felonies, preventing abusers from contacting victims even after prison sentences, probation, or supervised release ends.
The legislation is named after Kayleigh Kozak, an Arizona mother of five who was sexually abused as a child by Joshua Jacobsen, a former teacher and soccer coach. Nearly two decades after her abuse occurred when she was 12 years old, Jacobsen attempted to have his no-contact order lifted, forcing Kozak back into court.
"Can you imagine that you have to sit across the room from this man? That's something a victim should never have to do," Hamadeh told Fox News Digital. According to Kozak's account, she was hauled back into court 13 years after the abuse occurred and then had to return again when Jacobsen made another attempt the following year.
Jacobsen pleaded guilty to sexual abuse and luring a minor for sexual exploitation. He received a six-month jail sentence and lifetime probation. In June, a Maricopa County judge denied his request to end probation, citing violations including unauthorized contact with children and breaches of chaperone restrictions.
Versions of Kayleigh's Law have already passed in Arizona and Wisconsin. Hamadeh said more than 1,000 Arizona survivors secured lifetime protection during the state law's first year.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive advocates and Democratic lawmakers who supported the bill emphasized that it provides essential protections for trauma survivors who should not have to repeatedly relive their abuse in court proceedings.
"Victims should never again have to fill out another form, sit across from their abuser, or look over their shoulder because the sentence ran out," Hamadeh said in a statement following the vote. The framing focused on ending what his office described as a "legal tug-of-war" that forces survivors to repeatedly face their attackers.
Survivor advocacy groups supporting the legislation argued that lifetime protections allow victims to truly heal without the threat of future legal proceedings reopening old wounds. The unified House passage reflected broad agreement that existing systems too often left victims vulnerable after probation periods ended.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative lawmakers framed the bill as a straightforward public safety measure that prioritizes victims over criminals. Hamadeh characterized it as "common-sense" legislation supporting victims while closing what he called a revolving door that allowed predators to petition courts years after their convictions.
"Protect the victim. Stop the predator. End the revolving door," Hamadeh wrote on X following the House passage. He argued that once someone is convicted of abusing a child or committing sexual violence, they should never be permitted contact with their victims under any circumstances.
Republican supporters pointed to state-level success stories in Arizona and Wisconsin as evidence that such protections work without creating undue burdens on the legal system. The legislation received backing from law enforcement advocates who said lifetime orders reduce the administrative burden of repeatedly renewing protective measures.
What the Numbers Show
H.R. 8481 passed the House with unanimous support Monday, sending it to the Senate where its fate remains uncertain. Versions of Kayleigh's Law have already been enacted in Arizona and Wisconsin at the state level.
According to Hamadeh's office, more than 1,000 Arizona survivors secured lifetime protection during the first year after that state's version took effect. Jacobsen was sentenced to six months in jail and lifetime probation for his crimes against Kozak, who was 12 years old when the abuse occurred. The federal legislation would extend such protections nationwide for qualifying offenses.
The bill specifically targets those convicted of federal sex crimes and violent felonies, requiring courts to issue permanent no-contact injunctions that remain in effect for the remainder of an offender's life regardless of parole status or other legal developments.
The Bottom Line
The unanimous House passage marks a significant step toward standardizing lifetime protective orders across federal jurisdictions. Proponents say it addresses a gap in the legal system where victims like Kozak were forced to return to court years after their abuse to defend protections that should have been permanent from the start.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where it will need to navigate committee review and floor consideration before reaching a final vote. Lawmakers supporting the measure have pointed to bipartisan support at the state level as evidence of its broad appeal. Survivors and advocates are watching closely, with Kozak calling on senators to act quickly so that no victim has to endure what she described as "the hell I had to walk through."
If enacted, H.R. 8481 would represent one of the most significant expansions of post-conviction protections for federal crime victims in recent memory, requiring lifetime injunctions rather than time-limited orders that expire when sentences end.