117 S5288 IS: Safe at Home Act U.S. Senate 2022-12-15 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II117th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 5288IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESDecember 15, 2022Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Blunt, and Mrs. Capito) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsA BILLTo require executive agencies and Federal courts to comply with address confidentiality programs, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Safe at Home Act.

2.

Executive agency and Federal court compliance with State address confidentiality programs

(a)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Address confidentiality program

The term address confidentiality program means a program implemented pursuant to State law that—(A)provides a designated address;(B)provides a mail-forwarding service; and(C)is designated by a participant as the legal agent of the participant to receive service of process.(2)

Designated address

The term designated address means an address assigned by an address confidentiality program for a participant to use in lieu of the physical address of the participant.(3)

Executive agency

(A)

In general

The term executive agency has the meaning given the term Executive agency in section 105 of title 5, United States Code.(B)

Exception

The term executive agency does not include the Census Bureau.(4)

Participant

The term participant means an adult or minor who is enrolled in an address confidentiality program.(5)

Physical address

The term physical address means the actual home, school, or employment address of a participant.(6)

State

The term State means each of the States, the District of Columbia, each territory or possession of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe. (b)

Acceptance of address confidentiality program

Each executive agency and Federal court shall accept, for any purpose for which an individual is required to provide an address to the agency or court, an address designated to that individual pursuant to an address confidentiality program.(c)

Exemption from liability

A participant shall not be subject to Federal regulatory, civil, or criminal penalties for providing a designated address in lieu of the physical address of the participant to an executive agency or Federal court.(d)

Regulatory compliance with address confidentiality programs

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, each executive agency shall review and, as necessary, modify existing regulations to comply with this Act.(e)

Compliance with address confidentiality program procedures and exemption from FOIA

(1)

In general

In the case of an executive agency or Federal court seeking to acquire the physical address of a participant, the agency or court shall comply with any applicable procedures of the applicable address confidentiality program for acquiring such address.(2)

FOIA exemption

(A)

In general

Upon acquiring a physical address under paragraph (1), the physical address—(i)shall be considered confidential; and(ii)subject to subparagraph (B), shall not be subject to any request pursuant to section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act).(B)

Exception

In extreme circumstances, a court may order the disclosure of a physical address of a participant pursuant to a request pursuant to section 552 of title 5, United States Code, subject to a protective order against further disclosure.(f)

Prompt notification upon termination from participation

If the participation of an individual in an address confidentiality program is terminated, that individual shall promptly notify each executive agency or Federal court that accepted a designated address under subsection (b).