The Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2025

This legislation aims to protect the rights of American citizens, particularly those involved in peaceful protests and activism.

Key Provisions

The bill introduces several significant changes to existing laws, including:

• Protection from National Security Authority**: The bill prohibits government officials from using national security authority against U.S. citizens unless they are intentionally acting as agents of a foreign power or entity.
• Limitation on Malicious Prosecution**: The legislation defines and restricts the use of malicious prosecution, requiring prosecutors to have probable cause before charging individuals with crimes.
• Disclosure of Investigations**: The bill exempts U.S. citizens from Freedom of Information Act requests regarding surveillance or investigations, ensuring their personal information remains confidential.
• Sentence Guidelines for Covered Political Protest Offenses**: The legislation promotes fairness in sentencing by requiring judges to impose minimum sentences consistent with guideline ranges applicable to defendants.

Section 5: Limitation on Use of National Security Authority

The section states that national security authority may not be used by a government official against a U.S. citizen, unless the individual is intentionally acting as an agent of a foreign power or entity.

"The term 'national security authority' means any authority under the National Security Act of 1947 or any authority conferred onto any of the departments, agencies, councils, committees or entities created, established, restructured, or otherwise governed by such Act."

Section 6: Disclosure of Investigations

The section exempts U.S. citizens from Freedom of Information Act requests regarding surveillance or investigations, ensuring their personal information remains confidential.

Sense of Congress Regarding Sentencing

It is the sense of Congress that in sentencing a defendant for a covered political protest offense, a judge should impose a sentence that is consistent with the minimum sentence provided by the guideline range applicable to the defendant.

Section 8: Transfer of Venue

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the criminal trial of any individual for the commission of a criminal offense in the District of Columbia, the individual on trial may choose venue for the proceedings and trial to be in the district court for the district and division embracing that individual’s primary residence.