Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026

The Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026 limits how long courts can keep surveillance orders, applications, and related documents sealed (maximally 180 days initially, with limited extensions), and requires courts to make key details about these surveillance cases publicly available through docket records. It mandates law enforcement to provide notice to individuals whose communications were surveilled, with limited exceptions for ongoing investigations, and establishes new reporting requirements for courts about surveillance orders. The bill also creates grants to help state and tribal courts implement these transparency requirements. This law directly affects federal, state, and tribal courts, law enforcement agencies, and individuals whose communications are subject to surveillance.