Bill · S. 3918· Senate(119-S-3918)
Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 2/25/2026
- Last activity
- 2/25/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Ron Wyden
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 2
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026, sets new rules for how the government handles criminal surveillance orders. It generally stops courts from keeping surveillance orders, applications, and inventories sealed past the date the order is executed or the surveillance ends. The legislation requires the government to eventually provide notice of surveillance to the targets and creates a public online database for surveillance court records. It also orders courts to track and report instances where providers or the government exceeded authorized surveillance limits. Finally, the bill provides grants and funding to help Federal, State, and Tribal courts implement these transparency requirements.
Yes· 3 of 4
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+8
The bill mandates public docketing, unsealing of surveillance orders, and reporting of surveillance activities.
Does this give people more control over their personal data?+6
The bill increases transparency of surveillance and mandates notice to individuals regarding the collection of their electronic communications.
Does this change how police departments operate?+5
The bill enhances transparency regarding criminal surveillance and requires notice to targets of such surveillance.
The opposite
Does this give the government more power to monitor people inside the country?-3
By requiring transparency and notice, the bill potentially creates friction in existing domestic surveillance practices.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2 creates Section 3132 of title 18, United States Code, which limits the government's ability to indefinitely keep surveillance orders and applications under seal. This is positive because it brings transparency to government surveillance and lets people eventually know when they have been targeted.
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Section 2 creates Section 3132(b) of title 18, United States Code, which requires public docket records for criminal surveillance cases to be made available online as an open government data asset. This benefits the public by making court surveillance activities easier to track and hold officials accountable for.
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Section 3 amends Rule 41(f)(1)(B) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, along with sections 2703(d)(2) and 3123(b)(3) of title 18, to require an inventory if a provider or the government gathered unauthorized electronic data or searches. This is a positive check because it forces the government to report when it oversteps its legal bounds during surveillance.
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Section 4 amends Section 2703(i) of title 18, United States Code, to require the government to provide notice to a customer or subscriber before conducting court-authorized surveillance, or within 7 days if prior notice is infeasible. This ensures people are informed when their private communications or records are accessed by law enforcement.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 2 creates Section 3132(a)(2) of title 18, United States Code, which allows courts to seal surveillance orders for up to 180 days at a time if the government certifies that immediate unsealing would cause adverse results like endangering safety or destroying evidence. While intended for active investigations, this provision delays individuals from finding out about surveillance targeting them.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+8
- Education And Technology
- Improves Data Privacy+6
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Policing Reform+5
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Native Americans+3
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Increases Domestic Surveillance-3
- 2/25/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
4 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Steve DainesRepublican · Montana
Mike LeeRepublican · Utah