A Democratic bill with 4 Democratic cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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 end the use of solitary confinement and restrictive housing across all Federal agencies and their contractors. It establishes minimum standards for out-of-cell time, requiring all incarcerated persons to have access to at least 14 hours of daily congregate interaction. The bill prohibits certain populations, such as those with mental health needs or specific age groups, from being placed in involuntary confinement. It also creates a community monitoring body to oversee Federal facilities and provide independent oversight. Additionally, the act provides incentives for states and local entities to adopt similar standards to avoid federal funding reductions.
Yes· 3 of 15
- Scored +8
Would LGBTQ people be better off under this?
The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of individuals who identify as LGBTQ and addresses disproportionate impacts.
- Scored +8
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of individuals with disabilities.
- Scored +8
Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities?
The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of individuals with disabilities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection from Physical and Mental Harm: The bill seeks to prevent the "devastating harm" caused by solitary confinement, which can include self-mutilation, suicide, heart disease, and mental deterioration (Section 2).
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Guaranteed Social Engagement: Incarcerated individuals will be required to have access to at least 14 hours of out-of-cell interaction per day, including structured programming and recreation (Section 3(a)(2)(A)).
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Protections for Vulnerable Groups: Certain people, such as those 25 or younger, 55 or older, individuals with disabilities, and those with mental health needs, are prohibited from being involuntarily confined in a cell (Section 3(a)(2)(B)(D)).
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Expanded Legal Recourse: The bill allows incarcerated persons to bring civil actions for money damages for emotional pain and suffering resulting from violations, specifically removing the requirement to show physical injury first for those placed in solitary confinement (Section 7).
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Independent Oversight: A community monitoring body will be established to perform unannounced visits, conduct interviews, and access all nonclassified data to ensure facility compliance (Section s 4(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Restrictions on Emergency Management: While the bill limits solitary confinement, it allows for its use in emergency situations for de-escalation, which could impact the immediate management of high-risk incidents (Section 3(a)(2)(B)(iii)).
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Financial Penalties for States: State and local entities that do not comply with the new standards face a reduction of at least 10 percent of their federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funds (Section 5(b)).
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Lockdown Limitations: Although the bill limits the duration of lockdowns, it provides exceptions for "unexpected, extraordinary circumstances" like riots or explosive devices, which may still involve restrictive conditions (Section 3(a)(2)(B)(iv)).
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 LGBTQ people be better off under this? — The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of individuals who identify as LGBTQ and addresses disproportionate impacts. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of individuals with disabilities. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill aims to end a practice that is disproportionately inflicted on people of color. Would children be better off under this? — The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of persons 25 years of age or younger. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill aims to end a practice that is disproportionately inflicted on people of color. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill aims to end a practice that is disproportionately inflicted on people of color. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of persons 55 years of age or older. Would women be better off under this? — The bill provides specific protections for pregnant individuals and those in the postpartum period. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill aims to reduce the costs of the carceral system, which can impact broader community resources.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill prohibits the involuntary confinement of individuals with disabilities. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill addresses practices that the findings state are disproportionately inflicted on people of color. Does this change how police departments operate? — The bill implements strict oversight and limits on restrictive housing in federal detention and correctional facilities.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill mandates mental health assessments and prohibits those with diagnosed mental health needs from involuntary confinement.
- 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 incident and confinement data on their websites.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill states that eliminating solitary confinement could save taxpayers billions of dollars.
- 7/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/28/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts