US Congress House Bill 5961 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 14-1)
Status: Introduced on June 19 2012 - 25% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2012-09-20 - Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 493.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Farmer's Privacy Act of 2012 - Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in exercising any authority under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act), from conducting aerial surveillance of agricultural land unless the Administrator has: (1) obtained the voluntary written consent of the owner or operator of the land to be surveilled, and (2) obtained from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia a certification of reasonable suspicion that a violation of the Act exists in the area to be surveilled. Requires the Administrator to ensure that such consent: (1) specifies a period of up to one year during which the consent is effective, (2) contains a specific description of the geographical area to be surveilled, (3) contains limitations on the days and times during which the surveillance may be conducted if requested by such owner or operator, and (4) is granted voluntarily. Prohibits the Administrator from threatening additional, more detailed, or more thorough inspections or coercing or enticing such owner's or operator's consent. Prohibits the Administrator, except where a land operator or owner has petitioned for copies of information collected through aerial surveillance permitted under this Act or where the information is pertinent to an active EPA investigation or prosecution, from disclosing information collected through such surveillance. Excepts information collected through such surveillance from the Freedom of Information Act. Requires the destruction of information collected through aerial surveillance conducted under this Act not later than 30 days after collection, unless it is pertinent to an active EPA investigation or prosecution.

Farmer's Privacy Act of 2012

Sen. Shelley Capito [R-WV]	Rep. Todd Akin [R-MO]	Rep. Bob Goodlatte [R-VA]	Rep. Morgan Griffith [R-VA]
Rep. Andy Harris [R-MD]	Rep. Doc Hastings [R-WA]	Rep. Tim Holden [D-PA]	Rep. Bill Johnson [R-OH]
Rep. Walter Jones [R-NC]	Rep. Kristi Noem [R-SD]	Rep. Denny Rehberg [R-MT]	Rep. Dennis Ross [R-FL]
Rep. Adrian Smith [R-NE]	Rep. Lee Terry [R-NE]	Rep. Glenn Thompson [R-PA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2012-09-20	House	Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 493.
2012-09-20	House	Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 112-682.
2012-08-01	House	Subcommittee on Aviation Discharged.
2012-08-01	House	Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Discharged.
2012-08-01	House	Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
2012-08-01	House	Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2012-06-20	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
2012-06-20	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
2012-06-19	House	Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/5961/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr5961/BILLS-112hr5961ih.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr5961/BILLS-112hr5961rh.pdf