II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2676 

To require executive agencies and Federal courts to comply with address 

confidentiality programs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 27, 2023 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mrs. CAPITO) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To require executive agencies and Federal courts to comply 

with address confidentiality programs, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe at Home Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. EXECUTIVE AGENCY AND FEDERAL COURT COMPLI6 ANCE WITH STATE ADDRESS CONFIDEN7 TIALITY PROGRAMS. 

8 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 (1) ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM.— 

10 The term ‘‘address confidentiality program’’ means 


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1 a program implemented pursuant to State law 

2 that— 

3 (A) provides a designated address; 

4 (B) provides a mail-forwarding service; and 

5 (C) is designated by a participant as the 

6 legal agent of the participant to receive service 

7 of process. 

8 (2) DESIGNATED ADDRESS.—The term ‘‘des9 ignated address’’ means an address assigned by an 

10 address confidentiality program for a participant to 

11 use in lieu of the physical address of the participant. 

12 (3) EXECUTIVE AGENCY.— 

13 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘executive 

14 agency’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘Exec15 utive agency’’ in section 105 of title 5, United 

16 States Code. 

17 (B) EXCEPTION.—The term ‘‘executive 

18 agency’’ does not include the Census Bureau. 

19 (4) PARTICIPANT.—The term ‘‘participant’’ 

20 means an adult or minor who is enrolled in an ad21 dress confidentiality program. 

22 (5) PHYSICAL ADDRESS.—The term ‘‘physical 

23 address’’ means the actual home, school, or employ24 ment address of a participant. 


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1 (6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 

2 the States, the District of Columbia, each territory 

3 or possession of the United States, and each feder4 ally recognized Indian Tribe. 

5 (b) ACCEPTANCE OF ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY

6 PROGRAM.—Each executive agency and Federal court 

7 shall accept, for any purpose for which an individual is 

8 required to provide an address to the agency or court, an 

9 address designated to that individual pursuant to an ad10 dress confidentiality program. 

11 (c) EXEMPTION FROM LIABILITY.—A participant 

12 shall not be subject to Federal regulatory, civil, or criminal 

13 penalties for providing a designated address in lieu of the 

14 physical address of the participant to an executive agency 

15 or Federal court. 

16 (d) REGULATORY COMPLIANCE WITH ADDRESS CON17 FIDENTIALITY PROGRAMS.—Not later than 1 year after 

18 the date of enactment of this Act, each executive agency 

19 shall review and, as necessary, modify existing regulations 

20 to comply with this Act. 

21 (e) COMPLIANCE WITH ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY

22 PROGRAM PROCEDURES AND EXEMPTION FROM FOIA.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraphs (3) 

24 and (4), in the case of an executive agency or Fed25 eral court seeking to acquire the physical address of 


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1 a participant, the agency or court shall comply with 

2 any applicable procedures of the applicable address 

3 confidentiality program for acquiring such address. 

4 (2) FOIA EXEMPTION.—Upon acquiring a 

5 physical address under paragraph (1), the physical 

6 address— 

7 (A) shall be considered confidential; and 

8 (B) shall be exempt from disclosure under 

9 section 552 of title 5, United States Code (com10 monly referred to as the ‘‘Freedom of Informa11 tion Act’’) for the purpose of subsection (b)(3) 

12 of that section. 

13 (3) LAW ENFORCEMENT EXCEPTION.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—When the physical ad15 dress of a participant is relevant to a Federal 

16 criminal proceeding, a Federal court may order 

17 the disclosure of the physical address to rel18 evant parties without regard to the procedures 

19 of the relevant address confidentiality program, 

20 including— 

21 (i) court officers and employees; 

22 (ii) supervision and probation officers; 

23 (iii) prosecutors; 

24 (iv) law enforcement officers; and 


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1 (v) any other party determined rel2 evant by the Federal court. 

3 (B) LIMITATIONS.—If a Federal court or4 ders the disclosure of a physical address to a 

5 party under subparagraph (A), the party— 

6 (i) shall keep the physical address 

7 confidential; and 

8 (ii) may only use the physical address 

9 for the purpose for which the Federal 

10 court orders the disclosure. 

11 (4) ADMINISTRATION EXCEPTION.—If an execu12 tive agency requires the physical address of a partic13 ipant in order for the executive agency to carry out 

14 the requirements of Federal law, a Federal court 

15 may order the disclosure of the physical address to 

16 the executive agency if the head of the executive 

17 agency makes a written request to the relevant ad18 dress confidentiality program that maintains the 

19 record specifying— 

20 (A) the particular portion of the record de21 sired; and 

22 (B) the activity for which the record is 

23 sought. 

24 (5) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 

25 subsection shall be construed to require an executive 


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1 agency to be subject to an audit performed by a 

2 State. 

3 (f) PROMPT NOTIFICATION UPON TERMINATION

4 FROM PARTICIPATION.—If the participation of an indi5 vidual in an address confidentiality program is terminated, 

6 that individual shall promptly notify each executive agency 

7 or Federal court that accepted a designated address under 

8 subsection (b). 

Æ 


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