Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act

This bill, the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act, strengthens the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board's powers and extends its operational period. It establishes a congressional sense that all federal, state, and local government records related to civil rights cold cases should carry a presumption of immediate disclosure to inform the public. The legislation allows the Review Board to reimburse state and local governments for costs associated with transmitting records and removes previous exceptions for their inclusion in the collection. Crucially, it mandates that the privacy exemption under 552(b)(6) of FOIA will not apply to civil rights cold case records created on or before January 1, 1990, promoting greater transparency for older cases. Finally, the bill extends the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board's tenure from 7 years to 11 years , providing additional time to fulfill its mission.