H.R. 9076: Postal Data Privacy Act of 2026

This bill, known as the Postal Data Privacy Act of 2026, aims to establish regulations concerning the use of mail covers by governmental entities. A mail cover involves the recording of information on mail, such as the sender and receiver's addresses, without opening the mail itself. Here’s a summary of its key provisions:

1. Requirement for Court Order

The bill mandates that a governmental entity cannot use a mail cover unless it first obtains a court order. To get this court order, the governmental entity must provide:

• Specific and articulable facts: These are details that suggest there are reasonable grounds to believe that obtaining a mail cover is relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation.
• Jurisdiction: The court issuing the order must be of competent jurisdiction, which means it has the authority to hear and decide on the matter.

Additionally, if the mail cover is sought by a state governmental authority, the court cannot issue an order if state law prohibits it.

2. Preservation of Evidence

The bill also requires the Chief Postal Inspector to take necessary steps to preserve records and evidence if requested by a governmental entity. The specifics of this provision include:

• Retention Period: The preserved records must be kept for 90 days unless a governmental entity requests an extension, which can be granted for another 90 days.

3. Definition of Mail Cover

The term mail cover is defined by referencing an existing regulation that outlines its meaning, specifically in section 233.3 of title 39 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

4. Clerical Amendment

Lastly, the bill includes a clerical amendment that updates the title of sections within the relevant legal framework to reflect the addition of the new rules regarding mail covers.

Relevant Companies

None found.