H.R. 2096 – SACKLER Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 12:47 AM UTC

The SACKLER Act changes bankruptcy law to stop states, cities, federally recognized tribes, and the United States from giving up their legal claims against parties that are not debtors in a bankruptcy case. It also lets a court pause any existing or new lawsuits against those non‑debtors for up to 90 days when the bankruptcy case starts. The bill affects government entities and any non‑debtor that might be sued in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding.

Key Provisions

Amends 11 U.S.C. §105(b) to prohibit courts from releasing or enjoining claims against non‑debtors by states, municipalities, tribes, or the United States in bankruptcy cases, except as allowed under §524(g).
Adds a provision allowing courts to issue a temporary stay of up to 90 days on judicial, administrative, or other actions against non‑debtors that were or could have been started before the bankruptcy case began.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.

Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee

October 19, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 19, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

March 19, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1879)

April 16, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.

Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee

October 19, 2021

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 2096 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Carolyn B. MaloneyD-NY-12 · Apr 16, 2021

Madam Speaker, I rise to speak on a commonsense bill I introduced to promote accountability for America's opioid crisis. The opioid epidemic has taken almost as many lives as the COVID-19 crisis. The…

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 19, 2021

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2096

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 19, 2021

Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York (for herself and Mr. DeSaulnier) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To prohibit the non-consensual release of claims by States, municipalities, federally recognized Tribes, or the United States against non-debtors, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Stop shielding Assets from Corporate Known Liability by Eliminating non-debtor Releases Act or the SACKLER Act.

2.

Non-debtor releases

(a)

Prohibition on certain non-Debtor releases

Section 105(b) of title 11, United States Code, is amended by striking a court may not and all that follows, and inserting the following:

a court may not—

(1)

appoint a receiver in a case under this title; or

(2)

except as provided by section 524(g) of this title, enjoin or release a claim against a non-debtor by a State, municipality, federally recognized Tribe, or the United States.

.

(b)

Temporary stay on actions against non-Debtors

Section 105 of title 11, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(e)

Notwithstanding subsection (b)(2), a court may issue an order staying, for a period not to exceed 90 days, the commencement or continuation, including the issuance or employment of process, of a judicial, administrative, or other action or proceeding by a State, municipality, federally recognized Tribe, or the United States against a non-debtor that was or could have been commenced before the commencement of the case under this title, or to recover a claim against a non-debtor that arose before the commencement of the case under this title.

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