‘‘(i) the public interest in the disclo-
sure of past, present, or potential public 
health or safety hazards is outweighed by 
a specific and substantial interest in main-
taining the confidentiality of the informa-
tion or records in question; and 
‘‘(ii) the requested order is no broader 
than necessary to protect the confiden-
tiality interest asserted. 
‘‘(2) LIMIT ON EFFECT.—No order entered in 
accordance with paragraph (1), other than an order 
approving a settlement agreement, may continue in 
effect after the entry of final judgment unless at the 
time of, or after, the entry of the order the court 
makes a separate finding of fact that the require-
ments of paragraph (1) continue to be met. 
‘‘(3) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
paragraph (1) shall be construed to require the dis-
closure of the identity of individuals who disclose 
evidence of a violation of any law, rule, or regulation 
or other fraud, waste, abuse, or misconduct or other 
persons protected from disclosure under Federal law. 
‘‘(b) RESTRICTIONS ON ENFORCEMENT RELATING 
TO FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES.—In any civil action 
in which the pleadings state facts that are relevant to the 
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protection of public health or safety, a court shall not en-
force any provision of an agreement between or among 
parties to the civil action, or enforce an order entered in 
accordance with subsection (a)(1), to the extent that the 
provision or order prohibits or otherwise restricts a party 
from disclosing any information relevant to the civil action 
to any Federal or State agency with authority to enforce 
laws regulating an activity relating to the information. 
‘‘(c) LIMITS ON SCOPE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), a 
court shall not enforce any provision of a settlement 
agreement between or among parties to any civil ac-
tion in which the pleadings state facts that are rel-
evant to the protection of public health or safety 
that prohibits one or more parties from— 
‘‘(A) disclosing the fact that the settlement 
was reached or the terms of the settlement (ex-
cluding any money paid) that involve matters 
relevant to the protection of public health or 
safety; or 
‘‘(B) discussing matters relevant to the 
protection of public health or safety involved in 
the civil action. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) applies un-
less the court finds that— 
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‘‘(A) the public interest in the disclosure of 
past, present, or potential public health or safe-
ty hazards is outweighed by a specific and sub-
stantial interest in maintaining the confiden-
tiality of the information in question; and 
‘‘(B) the requested order is no broader 
than necessary to protect the confidentiality in-
terest asserted. 
‘‘(d) REBUTTABLE
PRESUMPTION
RELATING
TO 
PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION.—For pur-
poses of implementing subsections (a)(1)(B)(i) and 
(c)(2)(A), when weighing the interest in maintaining con-
fidentiality under this section, there shall be a rebuttable 
presumption that the interest in protecting personally 
identifiable information of an individual outweighs the 
public interest in disclosure. 
‘‘(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to permit, require, or authorize the 
disclosure of classified information (as defined under sec-
tion 1 of the Classified Information Procedures Act (18 
U.S.C. App.)).’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
The table of sections for chapter 111 of title 28, United 
States Code, is amended by adding after the item relating 
to section 1659 the following: 
‘‘1660. Restrictions on protective orders and sealing of cases and settlements.’’. 
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall— 
(1) take effect 30 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act; and 
(2) apply only to orders entered in civil actions 
or agreements entered into on or after such date. 
SEC. 13. JUDICIAL WORKPLACE CLIMATE SURVEYS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 21 of title 28, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 464. Judicial workplace climate surveys 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Judicial Conference of the 
United States shall administer a climate survey to each 
employee of a court of the United States about the work 
environment of the court, which shall— 
‘‘(1) be administered not later than 18 months 
after the date of enactment of this section and every 
2 years thereafter; 
‘‘(2) be voluntary; 
‘‘(3) survey respondents on the general work 
environment, including attitudes in the workplace re-
garding diversity and inclusion and harassment or 
discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, dis-
ability, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity; 
and 
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‘‘(4) be anonymous and confidential, with notice 
of the anonymity and confidentiality made to the re-
spondent throughout the survey. 
‘‘(b) TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION.—Information 
obtained in a survey administered under subsection (a) 
shall be— 
‘‘(1) made publicly available; and 
‘‘(2) transmitted to the Committee on the Judi-
ciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judi-
ciary of the House of Representatives, the Chief 
Justice of the United States, and the Judicial Con-
ference of the United States.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
The table of sections for chapter 21 of title 28, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘464. Judicial workplace climate surveys.’’. 
SEC. 14. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this Act, an amendment made by 
this Act, or the application of such provision or amend-
ment to any person or circumstance is held to be unconsti-
tutional, the remainder of this Act and of the amendments 
made by this Act, and the application of the remaining 
provisions of this Act and amendments to any person or 
circumstance, shall not be affected. 
Æ 
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