Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA)
End Solitary Confinement Act
A Democratic bill with 26 Democratic cosponsors · See all 26 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "End Solitary Confinement Act" aims to prohibit the use of solitary confinement and restrictive housing across all Federal agencies and their contractors. It establishes strict minimum standards for out-of-cell time, requiring at least 14 hours of daily congregate interaction and meaningful human engagement. The bill creates a multidisciplinary community monitoring body and an advisory body to oversee the implementation of these new standards. To encourage compliance at the local level, it implements financial penalties for states that do not align their policies with these federal standards. Additionally, the Act expands the ability of incarcerated individuals to seek civil damages for mental or emotional injuries.
Yes· 3 of 15
- Scored +8
Would Black Americans be better off under this?
The bill addresses practices that the text notes are disproportionately inflicted on people of color.
- Scored +8
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?
The bill addresses practices that the text notes are disproportionately inflicted on people of color.
- Scored +8
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill addresses practices that the text notes are disproportionately inflicted on people of color.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Protection from Physical and Mental Harm: The bill seeks to prevent the "devastating harm" associated with solitary confinement, such as self-mutilation, suicide, heart disease, anxiety, depression, and psychosis (Section 2).
-
Increased Human Engagement: It mandates that incarcerated individuals have access to at least 14 hours of out-of-cell time daily, including structured programming and recreation (Section 3(a)(2)(A)).
-
Protections for Vulnerable Groups: The bill prohibits involuntary confinement for specific groups, including people 25 years of age or younger, people 55 years of age or older, individuals with disabilities, pregnant people, and those identifying as LGBTQ+ (Section 3(a)(2)(B)(D)).
-
Enhanced Oversight and Accountability: The establishment of a community monitoring body allows for unannounced visits and private interviews to ensure facility compliance (Section 4(a)).
-
Expanded Legal Rights: The Act allows incarcerated people to bring civil actions for injuries caused by violations of the new standards, including seeking damages for emotional pain and suffering (Section s 3(c)(1) and Section 7).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Limitations on Emergency Response: While restrictive, the bill limits the use of confinement during emergencies to a maximum of 4 hours total immediately following an incident or 4 hours total during a 24-hour period, which may impact how staff manage immediate risks (Section 3(a)(2)(B)(iii)).
-
Impact on State/Local Funding: States or local entities that do not comply with the new standards face a reduction of at least 10 percent in their federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funding (Section 5(b)).
-
Restrictions on Facility Construction: The bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds for constructing new facilities, procuring equipment, or making improvements to existing buildings used for incarceration (Section 9(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill addresses practices that the text notes are disproportionately inflicted on people of color. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill addresses practices that the text notes are disproportionately inflicted on people of color. Would LGBTQ people be better off under this? — The bill specifically prohibits involuntary confinement for those identifying as LGBTQ+. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill addresses practices that the text notes are disproportionately inflicted on people of color. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of individuals with disabilities. Would children be better off under this? — The bill prohibits involuntary confinement for people 25 years of age or younger and includes trauma-sensitive engagement protocols for children. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of people 55 years of age or older. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill's impact on federal spending and state grants may have indirect effects on low-income community services.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of individuals with disabilities in restrictive housing. Does this expand the rights of LGBTQ people? — The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or gender nonconforming. Does this shorten or soften prison sentences? — The bill limits the use of restrictive housing and solitary confinement during incarceration.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires federal agencies to publish quarterly reports on incidents of self-harm, suicide, and housing status on their websites.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill mandates thorough medical and mental health assessments for those placed in alternative units and requires specific de-escalation and check-in protocols.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — The bill's findings suggest that eliminating solitary confinement could save taxpayers billions of dollars.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — While primarily a prison reform bill, it impacts all federal detention, including those that may house veterans.
- 10/26/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/16/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/4/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/12/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/4/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/9/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2025
- Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 18 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Becca BalintDemocrat · Vermont
Yvette ClarkeDemocrat · New York
Judy ChuDemocrat · California
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormickDemocrat · Florida
Dwight EvansDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Adriano EspaillatDemocrat · New York
Maxwell FrostDemocrat · Florida
Jesús GarcíaDemocrat · Illinois
Sylvia GarciaDemocrat · Texas
Glenn IveyDemocrat · Maryland
Henry JohnsonDemocrat · Georgia
Pramila JayapalDemocrat · Washington
Jonathan JacksonDemocrat · Illinois
Robin KellyDemocrat · Illinois
Summer LeeDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Grace MengDemocrat · New York
Morgan McGarveyDemocrat · Kentucky
LaMonica McIverDemocrat · New Jersey
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Ayanna PressleyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Delia RamirezDemocrat · Illinois
Melanie StansburyDemocrat · New Mexico
Lateefah SimonDemocrat · California
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Nydia VelázquezDemocrat · New York
Bonnie Watson ColemanDemocrat · New Jersey