S. 5686 — No Public Executions in America Act

This section prohibits any officer, employee, or agent of the United States, or any person acting under Department of Defense authority, from creating, broadcasting, streaming, or publicly distributing audio or visual recordings or depictions of executions carried out under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It permits the Secretary of Defense to authorize creation and retention of such recordings solely for official purposes such as investigations, judicial proceedings, congressional oversight, or archival needs, but bars their public dissemination except by court order or Act of Congress.

This section prohibits the use of federal funds to photograph, film, record, broadcast, publish, or otherwise disseminate to the public any audio or visual recording or depiction of an execution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or other federal law, unless authorized by a subsequent Act of Congress or a court order.

This section provides that the Act takes effect on the date of enactment and applies to any execution carried out on or after that date, without regard to when the sentence of death was imposed or approved by the President.