# 119-s-4696: Right to Record Act of 2026

119-s-4696, Right to Record Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT); status introduced (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4696
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-4696
- Congress: 119
- Title: Right to Record Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-06-08
- Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-11

## Summary

**Creates a federal right to record, observe, and peacefully protest law enforcement activities.** The bill would give people a clear cause of action for violations and defines a range of officer conduct that counts as a violation. - People who record or peacefully protest in public would gain a federal right to sue if officers stop, seize, destroy, or retaliate against them. The bill says there is no right to record when a person physically restrains an officer taking official action. - Federal law enforcement officers acting under color of law could be sued individually, and the United States would be liable because the bill waives sovereign immunity. It authorizes statutory damages of $25,000 per violation and allows punitive damages up to $100,000 per violation for conduct done with malice or reckless disregard. - Prevailing plaintiffs would recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Heads of federal law enforcement agencies must train every officer within one year of enactment and then annually on respecting the right to record, observe, and peacefully protest.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO] (D-CO), 2026-07-30T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Right to record federal officers: benefit, high. If enacted, you would have a federal right to record, watch, or peacefully protest federal law enforcement in public view. The right would not apply if you physically restrain an officer taking official action, but merely recording or positioning yourself to record would be protected. The bill woul…
- Annual federal officer training: benefit, medium. If enacted, the head of each federal law enforcement agency would have to train every federal officer on how to enforce the law while respecting the right to record, observe, or peacefully protest. The first training would have to happen within one year of enactment. Training would have to be provi…

## Related bills

- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-s-5283: Momnibus Act
- 119-s-5238: For Our Republic Act
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act
- 119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act

## Sources
- [119-s-4696 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4696)

## Related
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [119-s-5283: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5283)
- [119-s-5238: For Our Republic Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5238)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2763)
- [119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3869)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4696 (as of 2026-08-11).