Bill > S5033

This bill, titled the Judicial FOIA Expansion Act, aims to increase public access to certain records held by the United States judiciary by amending the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act. FOIA is a law that grants the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency, and the Privacy Act governs how federal agencies collect, maintain, use, and disseminate personally identifiable information. The bill specifically expands the definition of "court of the United States" to include various entities within the judicial branch, such as the Supreme Court, federal appellate and district courts, and even Federal defender organizations, but excludes the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. It establishes that certain judicial records, including those related to attorney disciplinary proceedings, complaints and investigations against judges or court personnel, meeting calendars and minutes of the Federal Judicial Conference, research materials from the Federal Judicial Center, completed jury selection forms, performance reports for judges and personnel, technical audit or update plans for PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), and annual reports to Congress, are now subject to public record requests under FOIA, with specific exemptions for ongoing cases and information not held by the courts. Furthermore, any information provided under these laws must be in a machine-readable format, and the Attorney General will represent courts in any claims brought under FOIA or the Privacy Act. The bill also authorizes $10 million for fiscal year 2027 to implement these changes, including establishing an office within the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, and includes a severability clause to ensure that if one part of the law is found invalid, the rest remains in effect.