Laurel Lee wants child porn investigators using modern technology to store evidence

U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee wants a safe way for law enforcement to use the cloud to store evidence in child porn cases.

The Thonotosassa Republican just introduced the Safe Cloud Storage Act (SCSA). The bipartisan bill, a companion to one already filed in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, would establish liability protections for vendors contracted to store digital evidence.

Right now, many Departments still rely on local — and insecure — methods like thumb drives and external hard drives to store sensitive evidence. But they can’t load certain materials associated with child exploitation on cloud storage, where it could remain intact even if an entire physical evidence locker were destroyed.

“Identifying victims and bringing predators to justice requires modern investigative tools,” Lee said. “The Safe Cloud Storage Act updates how law enforcement securely handles digital evidence, allowing investigators to partner with trusted technology providers while maintaining strong safeguards and accountability.”

Lee wants liability protections similar to those created by her Revising Existing Procedures On Reporting via Technology (REPORT) Act in 2024. That provided protections specifically to vendors working with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The new bill would also extend the liability to child sex abuse material kept by law enforcement.

Several child advocacy groups supported the legislation out of the gate.

“At Child Rescue Coalition, our innovative technology empowers law enforcement to identify and arrest child predators faster and more effectively. The SCSA strengthens and modernizes how law enforcement can securely store, share, and interact with CSAM, accelerating the identification of offenders and the rescue of victims,” said Greg Schiller, CEO of Child Rescue Coalition.

“This bill reinforces trust, accountability, and innovation, ensuring critical safeguards evolve alongside the technology law enforcement relies on every day to protect children.”

Lee filed the bill with bipartisan partners in the House, including Democratic U.S. Reps. Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, as well as GOP U.S. Rep. Brad Knott of North Carolina.

“The volume of evidence in child sexual abuse cases requires the kinds of third-party liability protections the Safe Cloud Act would provide,” Cohen said. “I am pleased to join with Congresswoman Laurel Lee, a recognized expert in this area of the law, as a co-lead of this important and protective legislation.”