Skip to content

The Hide No Harm Act

OUR POSITION: CSS supports the bill and urges members of Congress to vote for it.

Washington DC Presidential Inauguration

The Hide No Harm Act (S. 2140) would hold corporate officers criminally accountable if they knowingly conceal serious dangers that lead to consumer or worker deaths or injuries.

Under existing law companies may face criminal fines, but individual officers are often under no duty to inform consumers or employees of known safety hazards that could lead to serious injury or death. Too many times, corporate officials decide to keep selling a dangerous product to consumers or choose not to address an unsafe workplace condition — knowing that if they get caught the penalties will be small.

The bill would make it a crime, punishable by fines and up to five years in prison, for a corporate officer to knowingly conceal the fact that a corporate action or product poses a danger of death or serious physical injury. It would create a safe harbor from that criminal liability in cases where a corporate officer notifies a federal regulatory agency and individuals subject to the danger. Eliminating criminal liability would be as simple as picking up a phone and telling a federal regulatory agency about the danger.

 


 

CSS Resources

Groups Urge Senators to Co-Sponsor the Hide No Harm Act (S. 2140)
Letter to Members: October 6, 2015

Hide No Harm Would Establish Criminal Penalties for Corporate Executives
Press Release: October 6, 2015

 


 

Resources from Members and Allies

 


 

Press Coverage

How to Hold Execs Accountable When Big Banks Rob Customers
The Hill: October 25, 2016

“Hide No Harm Act Of 2015” Targets Employers, Directors and Officers
The National Law Review: November 5, 2015

Senators Reintroduce Hide No Harm Act
Safety + Health Magazine: October 12, 2015

Blumenthal Keeps His Consumer Focus with a Shot at VW
The Connecticut Mirror: October 12, 2015

Lawmakers Seek to Punish Executives Who Hide Deadly Defects
RT.com: October 7, 2015

GM, Takata Fuel Proposed Law Jailing Executives
The Detroit Bureau: October 7, 2015

Dem Senators Want to Jail Automakers Who Cover Up Defects
The Hill: October 6, 2015

Senators Propose Making Auto Safety Cover-Ups a Crime
Detroit Free Press: October 6, 2015

New Bill Would Punish Corporate Execs with Jail Time for Lying About Deadly Products
Consumerist: October 6, 2015

Delving Into GM’s Crimes
Detroit News: October 5, 2015

Blumenthal and Klobuchar Call on Justice Department to Take Strong Civil and Criminal Action Against Volkswagen
Corporate Crime Reporter: September 29, 2015

Senators Want Civil, Criminal Actions Against VW
AutoBlog: September 29, 2015

General Motors: Homicidal Fugitive from Justice
CounterPunch: September 21, 2105

GM Will Pay $900 Million Fine, Is It Enough?
CheatSheet: September 20, 2015

General Motors Should Be Prosecuted, Not Protected
The Huffington Post: September 17, 2015

Critics Rip GM Deferred Prosecution Agreement in Engine Switch Case
Corporate Crime Reporter: September 17, 2015

Justice Department Pledges to Focus on Wall Street Crime
FoxCT: September 10, 2015

Blumenthal: New DOJ White-Collar Guidelines are ‘Important Step’
Legal Times: September 10, 2015

New Law Proposed to Allegedly Jail Automaker Bigwigs
CarComplaints.com: July 12, 2015

Blumenthal Backs Lynch at Confirmation Hearing
Greenwich Time: January 28, 2015

The Hide No Harm Act: Healthcare’s Newest Form of Liability
Health Reform Watch: December 4, 2014

Three Bills to Curb Corporate Wrongdoing
The New York Times: November 19, 2014

General Motors Is Broken: The Auto Giant Is Suffering a Crisis of Inattention. Here’s How to Fix It.
Slate: July 29, 2014

‘Hide No Harm Act’ Would Criminalize Corporate Concealment of Hazards
Safety and Health Magazine: July 22, 2014

Senate Bill Would Hold Corporate Executives Criminally Accountable for Not Disclosing Lethal Product Defects
Truthout: July 21, 2014

“Hide No Harm” Bill Goes After Top Executives
CFO: July 21, 2014

Senators Introduce “Hide No Harm” Bill to Ban Hiding Recalls
Motor Trend: July 17, 2014

Senators Introduce Bill to Fine Auto Executives Over Recalls
Automobile: July 17, 2014

Should Auto Execs Who Cover Up Faulty Cars Go to Prison?
CBS News: July 16, 2014

Blumenthal, Casey Introduce Hide No Harm Act
Bloomberg BNA: July 16, 2014

GM Recall Senate Hearings: Senators Propose Criminalizing What GM Has Admitted Doing, Here’s The Full Text Of The ‘Hide No Harm’ Act
International Business Times: July 16, 2014

The Real Keys to Safety
BuzzFeed: July 16, 2014

Casey: Hide No Harm Act Is in Response to GM Scandal
Times Leader: July 16, 2014

Hide No Harm Act Would Fine, Imprison Execs Who Conceal Product Dangers
Automotive News: July 16, 2014

Bill Would Criminalize Concealment of Danger
Corporate Crime Reporter: July 16, 2014

Senate to General Motors: Hide No Harm
The Hill: July 15, 2014

Senators Introducing Bill Making It a Crime for Companies (Like GM) to Cover Up Dangerous Defects
Consumerist: July 15, 2014

Congress Vs. GM: ‘Why Not Jail’ Squares Off Against K Street
Roll Call: June 30, 2014

 


 

Previous Versions of the Bill

Hide No Harm Act: Holding Corporate Wrongdoing Accountable
Fact Sheet: July 16, 2014

Hide No Harm Act of 2014: Senate Bill Summary
Fact Sheet: July 16, 2014

Hide No Harm Act of 2014: House Bill Summary
Fact Sheet: July 16, 2014

Hide No Harm Act Press Conference
Press Conference: July 16, 2014

New Legislation Would Allow Criminal Penalties Against Corporate Officers Who Hide Information on Dangerous Products
Press Release: July 16, 2014

Hide No Harm Act: Why We Need Corporate Accountability
Blog Post: July 16, 2014

Groups Support the Hide No Harm Act
Letter to Members: March 19, 2014

Center for Progressive Reform Scholars Support the Hide No Harm Act
Letter to Members: March 18, 2014