Sponsors (7)
The bill expands local access to passport services and gives libraries modest new fee revenue and faster authorization, at the cost of some local compliance expenses, small revenue shifts from existing providers, and potential privacy or processing risks for applicants.
Residents (especially in rural and underserved communities, as well as families) can apply for passports closer to home because more public libraries may serve as passport acceptance facilities.
Local public libraries will be able to retain passport execution fees, providing modest new local revenue that can support library services and programs.
Libraries that already meet requirements will be formally authorized within 30 days, helping avoid service disruptions for the communities they serve.
Applicants (particularly families and people in rural areas) could face processing delays or privacy risks if libraries improperly handle passport procedures.
Some public libraries may incur additional administrative and security costs to comply with State Department requirements, straining local budgets with no guaranteed reimbursement.
Expanding fee retention to libraries shifts a small portion of passport-related revenue away from existing State or Postal Service arrangements, modestly reducing fees that would otherwise go to those entities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows qualifying public libraries (nonprofit/charity/trust) to serve as passport acceptance facilities and keep execution fees, and requires the State Department to authorize compliant libraries and report to Congress within 30 days.
Introduced January 29, 2026 by John Karl Fetterman · Last progress January 29, 2026
Allows qualifying public libraries (those that are nongovernmental organizations, nonprofits, charitable organizations, or trusts) to serve as passport acceptance facilities and to collect and retain the passport execution fee, provided they follow State Department regulations. Requires the Secretary of State, within 30 days of enactment, to (1) authorize any public library that previously served as a passport acceptance facility and was in compliance with regulations to collect and retain execution fees, and (2) report to relevant congressional committees documenting compliance or explaining noncompliance.