Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
This bill amends 18 U.S.C. 1791 to increase criminal penalties for providing a prohibited phone in a correctional facility, adding a penalty of up to two years imprisonment for that offense. It also requires the Bureau of Prisons Director to review and update BOP policies within one year regarding inmates who make, possess, obtain, or attempt to obtain prohibited objects, and to improve protections for incarcerated people and staff.
Progressives emphasize incarceration risks and enforcement disparities
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrow substantive amendment to federal criminal law with an attached administrative review requirement.
This bill amends 18 U.S.C. 1791 to increase criminal penalties for providing a prohibited phone in a correctional facility, adding a penalty of up to two years imprisonment for that offense.
It also requires the Bureau of Prisons Director to review and update BOP policies within one year regarding inmates who make, possess, obtain, or attempt to obtain prohibited objects, and to improve protections for incarcerated people and staff.
Small, targeted criminal-law tweak plus administrative review has low fiscal burden and broad appeal, improving chances absent external political obstacles.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrow substantive amendment to federal criminal law with an attached administrative review requirement. It specifies the statutory change and assigns a clear actor and deadline for the BOP review but omits fiscal discussion, reporting requirements, and detailed safeguards or definitions that would strengthen implementation clarity.
Progressives emphasize incarceration risks and enforcement disparities
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Progressives emphasize incarceration risks and enforcement disparities
Mixed view: supports staff and inmate safety goals but wary of increasing criminal penalties and expanding incarceration.
Wants safeguards against disproportionate enforcement and clear limits on prosecutorial discretion.
Generally favorable but cautious: recognizes need to prevent contraband phones while wanting proportionality and clear implementation.
Supports the BOP policy review as a practical step.
Supportive: views tougher penalties as necessary deterrence against contraband that facilitates crime.
Favors protecting staff and public safety and supports BOP strengthening policies.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Small, targeted criminal-law tweak plus administrative review has low fiscal burden and broad appeal, improving chances absent external political obstacles.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Progressives emphasize incarceration risks and enforcement disparities
Small, targeted criminal-law tweak plus administrative review has low fiscal burden and broad appeal, improving chances absent external pol…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrow substantive amendment to federal criminal law with an attached administrative review requirement. It specifies the statutory change and assigns a clear ac…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.