HR 6048 United States House · 119th Congress

NDO Fairness Act of 2025

The NDO Fairness Act modifies federal law to establish a new court order process allowing law enforcement to delay notifying individuals when seeking electronic communications data (like emails or messages) under existing warrants or subpoenas. Courts must issue written findings showing specific, serious risks (such as endangering safety or destroying evidence) and limit delays to 90 days (or up to one year for child exploitation cases), with strict requirements for narrow tailoring. The bill mandates annual reports to Congress tracking usage, including how often delays are granted and whether they affect media or First Amendment activities. After delays expire, individuals can request copies of disclosed information within 180 days, though sensitive materials like child exploitation evidence may be redacted.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Nov 2025

Committee Review

Nov 2025

House Passage

Aug 2026

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Nov 17, 2025 Last action Aug 31, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 4 edits · Aug 31, 2026

MODERATE

The engrossed version makes two substantive policy changes to the NDO Fairness Act: it removes a condition requiring the government to notify the court of a material change in circumstances as a prerequisite for the one-year nondisclosure period in child exploitation cases, and it limits the automatic stay on disclosure when a provider challenges an NDO order from an indefinite period to just 72 hours. The remaining changes are cross-reference corrections and formatting.

REQUIREMENT

The condition for the one-year nondisclosure period in child pornography and sexual exploitation of children cases was simplified. The introduced version required the government to notify the court of a material change in circumstances as a condition; the engrossed version removes that requirement, making the one-year period available based solely on the nature of the offense.

ENFORCEMENT

The automatic stay on disclosure when a provider files a challenge to an NDO order was changed from an indefinite stay pending resolution to a fixed 72-hour stay. Additionally, either the provider or the government (not just the government as before) can now request that the court extend or lift the stay.

TECHNICAL

Multiple internal cross-references were corrected from 'paragraph (2)' to 'paragraph (1)' throughout sections 3 through 10, fixing errors in the introduced version's numbering scheme.

The short title was updated to include 'of 2025' for standard legislative naming convention.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 31, 2026

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5266-5267)

lower

Aug 31, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.

lower

Aug 31, 2026

Introduced

Mr. Fitzgerald moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

Nov 20, 2025

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

lower

Nov 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Nov 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Nov 17, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

lower

Nov 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor