To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide protections for nonviolent political protesters, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMs. Greene of Georgia (for herself and Mr. Massie) introduced …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2025 provides legal protections for individuals charged with nonviolent political protest offenses. It prohibits pretrial detention for nonviolent protesters, guarantees speedy trials, creates new remedies for those subjected to malicious prosecution, limits the use of national security powers against U.S. citizens, and allows defendants in D.C. cases to transfer their trials to their home districts.
Who Benefits and How
Nonviolent political protesters benefit significantly from this bill. They cannot be detained before trial unless charged with a violent crime, must receive speedy trials, and can sue for compensatory damages if detained and later acquitted or have charges dropped. Additionally, protesters charged in Washington D.C. can choose to have their trial moved to a court near their home. U.S. citizens generally benefit from restrictions on government surveillance and national security powers being used against them unless they are intentionally acting as foreign agents.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal prosecutors face new constraints on their discretion, as they can be held liable for "malicious overprosecution" if they bring charges grossly disproportionate to alleged conduct due to personal or political animosity. The Department of Justice, FBI, and national security agencies face significant new limitations on using surveillance and investigative powers against U.S. citizens. Federal courts in Washington D.C. may lose jurisdiction over cases involving non-local defendants who choose to transfer venue. Taxpayers could face costs from civil lawsuits brought by detained individuals who are later acquitted.
Key Provisions
- Prohibits pretrial detention for individuals charged with nonviolent political protest offenses (Section 2)
- Creates a civil cause of action allowing wrongfully detained individuals to sue the U.S. government and officials for compensatory damages (Section 2)
- Ensures speedy trial rights specifically apply to covered political protest offenses (Section 3)
- Establishes "malicious overprosecution" as a legally recognized harm when prosecutors bring grossly disproportionate charges out of personal or political animosity (Section 4)
- Bars the use of national security authorities against U.S. citizens unless they are intentionally acting as foreign agents (Section 5)
- Requires government disclosure of surveillance or investigation records when requested by the citizen being surveilled (Section 6)
- Allows defendants charged in D.C. to transfer their trial to the federal court in their home district (Section 8)
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
The bill aims to protect nonviolent political protesters by amending Title 18 of the United States Code, ensuring fair treatment during trials, providing remedies for malicious overprosecution, and limiting the use of national security authorities against US citizens.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
An offense arising from political protest activities that is not a crime of violence.
A political protest offense as defined in section 3142 of Title 18, United States Code.
Charging an individual with an offense that is grossly disproportionate to the alleged conduct, done out of personal or political animosity.
A nonviolent offense arising from political protest activities, as defined in section 3142(k).
A request made by a US citizen to inquire about their surveillance or investigation status.
Any authority under the National Security Act of 1947 or conferred onto entities created by it, including the National Security Division and Intelligence Branches.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology