Bill > HR2787

This bill, known as the "Warrant for Metadata Act," amends Section 2703 of title 18, United States Code, to strengthen privacy protections for electronic communication records. Specifically, the bill requires governmental entities to obtain a warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction before accessing metadata (which refers to information about electronic communications, such as sender, recipient, time, and duration, but not the actual content) from electronic communication service providers. The bill removes previous provisions that allowed governmental entities to access electronic communication records stored for 180 days or less without a warrant. The legislation applies to federal, state, and military court systems, each following their respective warrant procedures. The bill has a specific provision stating that it will not retroactively affect disclosures made before its enactment, but any subsequent or expanded requests for disclosure after the bill's enactment will be subject to the new warrant requirement. This change aims to increase privacy protections and ensure that government access to electronic communication records is more closely scrutinized through the warrant process.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2787/all-info