Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026

Key Points

• The bill ends indefinite secrecy for government surveillance orders like wiretaps and digital searches. Courts can no longer seal these orders forever — instead, sealing is limited to 180-day periods, with extensions requiring increasingly strong justification from law enforcement.
• Law enforcement must notify people when their private communications or records have been monitored. If the government gets your emails, phone records, or other digital information, they have to tell you — though notice can be delayed during active investigations if a judge approves.
• Courts must maintain public docket records of all surveillance cases, published online in an accessible format. These records show which agencies requested surveillance, what crimes were being investigated, and whether judges granted or denied the requests — giving the public a window into how these tools are used.
• The bill provides $25 million in grants for state and tribal courts to upgrade their technology to comply with the new transparency rules. Federal courts get 2 years to implement the changes, while state and tribal courts that lack electronic docketing get up to 4 years.
• Annual public reporting on surveillance activity is required. Judges must report details on every surveillance order they issue or deny, and the Administrative Office of the United States Courts must publish comprehensive statistics each year on its website.