Email Privacy Act

This bill changes federal law on when email and online service providers can share, or must hand over, stored messages and customer records. It would require government agencies to get a court-issued warrant to obtain the contents of stored electronic messages, removing the current rule that treats messages older than 180 days differently. Warrants could set a deadline for providers to respond; without one, providers must respond promptly. Providers would be allowed to tell customers when they receive a warrant, court order, subpoena, or request, except where the law delays notice. The bill also keeps existing government authority to obtain provider employees' work messages and public advertisements, and states that it does not limit Congress's investigative powers.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Mike Lee Republican sponsor
• 1 cosponsors