HR-4811 — Cell-Site Simulator Warrant Act of 2025

YourVoice.Now Summary

Civil LibertiesCriminal Justice & Due ProcessTransparency & Accountability

Sets warrant rules for Stingray phone trackers, and lets people sue if police break them.

Civil Liberties

Warrant required for fake cell towers — 30-day limit

Police could use one of these devices only with a judge's warrant. Each warrant would last up to 30 days, and could be renewed.

Protest use must be disclosed to the judge

The warrant request would have to say if the device will mainly be used at a protest. That covers any gathering protected by free-speech rights.

Surveillance targets get written notice — within 90 days

People named in the warrant would get a letter within 90 days. It would say whether their phone was tracked, and a judge could delay it for good cause.

Bystander phone data must be destroyed quickly

Nearby phones connect to these devices too. Data about people who are not the target would have to be erased at the first chance.

You can sue over illegal tracking — up to $500 each

Anyone tracked illegally could sue the person or agency that did it. A court could award up to $500 per violation, plus damages and lawyer fees.

Spy agencies need court orders to target Americans

Spy agencies could target a U.S. person only under a special court order. The same tests for narrow time and area would apply.

Emergency use allowed without a warrant — 48 hours to apply

Police could turn the device on first if someone is in danger right away. They would then have 48 hours to ask a judge, or erase what they got.

Criminal Justice & Due Process

Fines up to $250,000 for illegal phone tracking

Any person or company that knowingly uses one of these devices outside these rules could be fined up to $250,000.

Defendants must be shown tracking evidence against them

If prosecutors use data from one of these devices, they would have to hand that data to the defendant.

Evidence from illegal tracking barred from court

Data from a device used illegally could not be used in any trial or hearing. The one exception is a case about the illegal use itself.

Transparency & Accountability

Yearly public reports on every government use

Watchdogs at four agencies would publish one joint report each year. It would count each use, each bystander phone swept up, and each device loaned to local police.

Justice Department must post its privacy rules publicly

The Attorney General would write rules on what agencies may keep about people who are not targets. Those rules would go on the department's website.

Agencies must open discipline cases for deliberate violations

If a court finds an agency broke these rules on purpose, it must open a discipline case. Choosing not to would mean telling its watchdog why.

More about this bill

Police would need a warrant before using a fake cell tower to find a phone. These devices, often called Stingrays, act like a real cell tower. Every phone nearby connects to them, not just the phone police want. A judge could approve their use for up to 30 days at a time. Police would first have to show that other methods failed or would be too risky. If your phone got swept up, the government would have to erase what it collected. People named in the warrant would get a letter within 90 days. It would say whether their phone was tracked or their calls were heard. A judge could delay that letter for good reason. Police would also have to tell the judge if they plan to use the device at a protest. They would have to report any risk of blocking 911, 988, or poison-control calls. Anyone tracked illegally could sue for up to $500 per violation, plus lawyer fees. Data gathered illegally could not be used in court. Illegal use could bring a fine of up to $250,000. The bill would still allow use without a warrant in an emergency, such as a threat to someone's life. Police would then have 48 hours to ask a judge, or destroy what they collected. Prisons, the Secret Service, the FCC, and researchers would be exempt under set rules. None of this would start for two years after it became law. Devices already in use could get a third year.

Congressional Summary

Cell-Site Simulator Warrant Act of 2025This bill establishes a federal statutory framework to regulate the use of cell-site simulators. Cell-site simulators (commonly known as Stingrays) are devices that function as or simulate a cell-phone tower to identify, locate, or intercept transmissions from a cell phone for purposes other than providing ordinary commercial mobile services or private mobile services.The framework generally prohibits the knowing use of a cell-site simulator domestically by an individual or entity or the use of a cell-site simulator by an element of the intelligence community outside the United States to conduct surveillance of a U.S. person. It imposes a civil fine on an individual or entity that violates the prohibition and restricts the use of unlawfully acquired information as evidence in a legal proceeding or official proceeding.The framework contains exceptions to permit the use of a cell-site simulator in certain circumstances, such as by a law enforcement agency pursuant to a warrant or by an element of the intelligence community to conduct surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.Finally, an individual who is the subject of unlawful use of a cell-site simulator may bring a private right of action.

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: House
Status: summarized
Action: Introduced in House
Action Date: 2025-07-29
Date Added: 2026-05-28
Source: Congress.gov →

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