Safe Cloud Storage Act shields vendors holding child abuse evidence for police
Passed one chamberS. 3023Latest action
Sponsor: Marsha Blackburn · Senator · TN
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: Safe Cloud Storage Act
119th Congress
Topics: Crime & justice
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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S 3023 lets approved cloud vendors store child abuse evidence for law enforcement without criminal or civil liability, if strict security rules are met.
65-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
S 3023 would protect cloud storage companies from criminal and civil liability when storing illegal child abuse images on behalf of law enforcement or prosecutors. To qualify, vendors must use strong encryption, restrict employee access, meet federal cybersecurity standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and pass an independent cybersecurity audit every year. Evidence must remain within the United States, and if a contract ends, the company must notify the Justice Department and preserve the material until it is transferred to another agency.
Who does it affect?
The bill directly affects private cloud storage and technology companies that contract with police or prosecutors, and federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies that need long-term digital evidence storage. Everyday citizens are not directly regulated but could be indirectly affected if the bill makes these crimes easier to prosecute.
Why does it matter?
Cloud storage companies currently risk criminal or civil liability simply by possessing this material, even when assisting law enforcement, which can make them unwilling to provide storage services. Without willing vendors, agencies may struggle to securely store digital evidence needed to build and maintain child exploitation cases. The liability shield does not apply if a company acts negligently, recklessly, or with bad intent.
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Read the official bill on Congress.govMake the call
Where does it stand?
- IntroducedOct 21, 2025
- Senate committee
- Senate vote
- HouseYou are here · May 21, 2026
- The president's desk
Right now: it passed the Senate, and the official record shows nothing new since. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Held at the desk.