S. 719 · 116th Congress
Solitary Confinement Reform Act
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 116th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
7 cosponsors · 7 D
6 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill establishes standards for the use of solitary confinement at federal prisons.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · Mar 7, 2019
Solitary Confinement Reform Act
This bill establishes standards for the use of solitary confinement at federal prisons.
It generally limits the use of solitary confinement to situations that meet certain criteria, including confinement for the briefest term and the least restrictive conditions practicable. It also limits the use of solitary confinement for certain categories of inmates, including pregnant women and individuals with serious mental illness.
The bill requires the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to do the following:
- establish a transitional process for inmates in solitary confinement,
- provide comprehensive mental health evaluations for inmates in solitary confinement,
- train employees on mental illness and the psychological effects of solitary confinement, and
- report annually on the use of solitary confinement.
It establishes, within the BOP, an Office of the Civil Rights Ombudsman.
Finally, it establishes a solitary confinement resource center within the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Solitary Confinement Reform Act
Latest action (Mar 7, 2019): Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Mar 7, 2019
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.