The SAFE Act (Security and Freedom Enhancement Act of 2024) is a comprehensive reform bill targeting the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which governs how federal agencies conduct surveillance on foreign intelligence targets. The legislation would substantially restrict how the FBI, intelligence agencies, and law enforcement can search through and access Americans' communications and personal data collected under surveillance programs.
The bill creates strict new requirements for searching FISA-collected communications for information about U.S. persons, including mandatory FBI employee training, approval requirements for sensitive searches involving political figures or religious organizations, and written justifications before each search. Intelligence agencies would be prohibited from purchasing personal data about Americans from commercial data brokers without court orders, and law enforcement would face similar restrictions when buying data from private companies. The legislation also establishes tough penalties for violations, increases transparency requirements through new quarterly reports to Congress, and strengthens oversight mechanisms by requiring independent audits and expanding the role of privacy advocates in FISA court proceedings.
The bill affects the FBI, intelligence community agencies, and law enforcement bodies nationwide, as well as any Americans whose communications might be swept up in foreign intelligence collection. It extends key FISA authorities through December 31, 2027, while implementing these reforms. Agencies would have up to one year to develop necessary systems and hire staff to comply with the new requirements, with most provisions taking effect 120 days after enactment.
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