The Security And Freedom Enhancement Act of 2024, also known as the SAFE Act, outlines various measures to enhance privacy and oversight in surveillance activities. It includes reforms under several titles, addressing issues such as United States persons' data collection, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court procedures, independent executive oversight, and limitations on purchasing sensitive information by intelligence and law enforcement agencies, as well as transparency enhancements.

The bill section provides new rules for the FBI about querying U.S. persons' information under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. It requires mandatory audits, specific approvals for sensitive queries, comprehensive training, documentation of justifications for queries, and prohibits accessing communications without a warrant unless there are certain exceptions, such as emergencies or consent.

The section requires the Attorney General, with help from the Director of National Intelligence, to provide quarterly reports to specific congressional committees. These reports must include details like the number of information searches conducted, frequency of access to certain communications, and details about emergency authorization requests, all of which are broken down by the agency conducting the searches.

The section outlines new accountability procedures for FBI employees who violate laws or guidelines while conducting queries, detailing consequences for negligence and misconduct. It also mandates the FBI to report their findings on these procedures initially and annually, with the possibility of including classified information to protect sensitive sources.

The section outlines the procedures the FBI Director must establish to ensure employees are held accountable for improperly accessing information. It includes tracking incidents of negligence, enforcing consequences for violations, and defining how intentional or reckless misconduct is addressed.

The proposed amendment to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act restricts targeting of U.S. persons or those in the U.S. for intelligence purposes unless there's an imminent threat or consent is given. It emphasizes that any surveillance must primarily focus on non-U.S. individuals outside the U.S., with strict conditions for exceptions.

The amendment to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act requires the FISA Court to review a random sample of targeting decisions and their written justifications from the previous year, ensuring the sampling method is approved by the Court. Additionally, it clarifies that references to "subsection (g)" are changed to "subsection (h)" and emphasizes the inclusion of the random sample review in subsection (j).

The section repeals the authority to resume certain types of intelligence data collection under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 by removing specific references to provisions from the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017. It eliminates particular subsections and text, making corresponding adjustments to ensure consistency across the related legislative documents.

The section amends parts of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 by extending the expiration date of certain authorities from April 19, 2024, to December 31, 2027, and updates language to reflect the most recent amendments instead of specific previous ones.

The section outlines amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, requiring sworn statements for factual claims in surveillance applications, detailed summaries of investigative techniques, and justifications for extensions or certain applications involving U.S. individuals. It also introduces new requirements for transparency and accuracy in applications, mandates disclosure of relevant information, restricts the use of information from media sources or political campaigns unless corroborated, and imposes limitations on order issuance based on specific information sources.

The section requires that when the Attorney General or any other Federal officer applies for a court order under this Act, they must provide the court with all relevant information from the Government, including anything that challenges the application’s accuracy or raises doubts about the required findings for issuing the court order.

In this section, Congress defines "accuracy procedures" as steps required by the Attorney General to ensure any court order application is truthful and complete, including verifying information from confidential sources and establishing compliance mechanisms. Additionally, any federal officer applying for a court order must describe these procedures and certify the thoroughness and accuracy of the information provided.

The section increases criminal penalties for certain violations of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by adding penalties for intentionally making false statements or omissions in documents submitted to FISA courts and for knowingly disclosing unauthorized information about surveillance applications. The maximum imprisonment term for these violations is also increased from five to eight years.

The bill proposes increased penalties for violations of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, setting minimum damages of $10,000 or $1,000 per day for U.S. persons and $1,000 or $100 per day for others. Additionally, it requires government agencies to report any violations and administrative actions to Congress and a specific court.

If a court finds someone guilty of breaking this law in a civil case, the head of their agency must report to Congress about what actions they took against the person. Additionally, the agency head must report the person's name to a special court, which will keep a record of every person reported.

The text outlines new procedures for federal agencies to follow under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to ensure compliance, including defining what violations are and disciplining employees for them. Additionally, it requires agencies to report to Congress on the implementation of these procedures within 90 days of enactment.

The section requires each federal department or agency, which is allowed to gather foreign intelligence, to create clear rules for identifying and responding to violations of the law by their staff. It also mandates that those who break these rules face disciplinary actions, and repeat offenders receive more severe consequences.

The section specifies that there is a limit on civil immunity for providing information, facilities, or technical help to the government without a court order. It introduces a new process requiring written certification by certain officials confirming emergency authorization requirements are met, and outlines when the limitation on legal actions applies, emphasizing that support must stop once a court order is denied, the needed communication is captured, or 48 hours after the start of an interception.

The section proposes reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, requiring the same judge, if possible, to handle renewal applications and expanding the use and authority of amici curiae (friends of the court) to ensure privacy and civil liberties issues are addressed effectively. It also provides amicus curiae with the right to access relevant documents, consult with other amici curiae, and challenge court decisions, ensuring detailed review and transparency in surveillance matters.

The section outlines changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, requiring that certain declassified documents be submitted to Congress and that the review for declassification is completed within 180 days if it affects how the law is applied or interpreted.

Section 303 amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to require that transcripts from hearings or oral arguments involving the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or its Court of Review be submitted to Congress within 45 days after the government receives the transcript or the case is resolved, whichever is later.

The text amends chapter 21 of title 18, United States Code, to clarify that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review (FISCR) have contempt powers similar to district courts. It also requires these courts to submit an annual report to Congress about their use of authority under this chapter.

In this section, the term "court of the United States" is defined to include both the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review. It also specifies that these courts' definitions are found in another law, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.

The new section 606 added to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act requires the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to conduct an audit every five years to check for any violations or non-compliance with the Act. The findings of this audit must be reported to specific congressional intelligence and judiciary committees.

The section mandates that by June 30 in the year after this law is enacted, and every five years after, the Department of Justice's Inspector General must audit and report on compliance with FISA, focusing on potential violations and procedural accuracy in applications and certifications. The findings are then reported to specific congressional intelligence and judiciary committees.

The section amends the National Security Act of 1947 to protect whistleblowers in the intelligence community when they communicate with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, and ensures that employees of this Board are paid the same as those in similar jobs within the intelligence community.

The section limits how the intelligence community can collect data about people in the United States. It outlines specific conditions where data can be collected, such as with court orders, emergencies, or consent, and requires procedures to minimize unnecessary data collection. Data collected improperly cannot be used in legal proceedings, and reports on data collection activities must be shared with certain government officials and made available to the public.

This section of the bill limits law enforcement agencies from buying personal data from data brokers. It outlines exceptions, such as when data is obtained through legal processes, emergency situations, or with consent.

The bill section updates the definitions and requirements for online service providers under U.S. law. It changes certain legal references from "electronic communication service" or "remote computing service" to "online service provider" to ensure consistent protections for data demands, disclosures, and limitations.

The amendment to Section 2703 of title 18 in the United States Code introduces rules for how government entities can access personal data from organizations that are not online service providers. It states that these organizations are only required to disclose personal data if a court order is obtained, similar to what is required for online service providers, applying the strictest standards as per federal law or the Constitution.

The section expands the definition of an "intermediary or ancillary service provider" and prohibits these providers from knowingly sharing the contents of stored communications or information about online service users with other people or the government, without consent.

The section updates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to require more detailed reports from the Director of National Intelligence about surveillance activities, including statistics on people targeted, intelligence reports involving U.S. persons, and the use of information in criminal cases. It also removes exceptions previously given to the FBI regarding some requirements, ensuring that the amendments apply uniformly across agencies.

The section allows the Attorney General, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, to delay the implementation of certain parts of the act for up to one year if they need more time to set up technical systems or hire and train people. It specifies the term “appropriate committees of Congress” refers to specific committees in the House and Senate.