# 119-hr-10909: Deaths in Custody Reporting Reform Act

119-hr-10909, Deaths in Custody Reporting Reform Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] (D-TN); status introduced (as of 2026-11-03).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10909
- As of: 2026-11-03
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-10909
- Congress: 119
- Title: Deaths in Custody Reporting Reform Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-10-26
- Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] (D-TN)
- Cosponsors: 8
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-11-03

## Summary

**Standardizes and expands reporting of deaths in custody** across jails, prisons, immigration detention, juvenile facilities, and related transfers to create a public, machine-readable national database and stronger federal oversight. - Families: Faster and clearer information when someone dies in custody, including 48-hour congressional notice and 90-day case reviews for immigration detention deaths. - State, local, and federal custodial agencies: Must submit standardized data fields and follow consensus definitions to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which will publish annual searchable reports and accept open-source submissions. - Researchers, public health officials, and advocates: Gain a death-certificate checkbox from the National Center for Health Statistics, free access to related National Death Index matches, NIJ studies and grants, and recurring public analyses. *Authorizes $6.0 million per year from 2027 through 2037 to carry out the Act.*

## Cosponsors (8)

- Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA), 2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] (D-VA), 2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ), 2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1] (D-IL), 2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12] (D-PA), 2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Faster reporting for immigration deaths: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would require ICE and CBP to notify Congress and publish a notice within 48 hours after a covered immigration-related death. It would require a formal investigation and an individual public report within 90 days that explains cause and manner of death and whether medical care m…
- Funding and research for custody deaths: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would authorize $6 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2037 to support reporting, a Federal Review Panel, research, and related data work. The National Institute of Justice would study reported deaths, issue an interim report within one year and a final report within…
- Expanded national reporting on custody deaths: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would move national reporting authority to the Bureau of Justice Statistics and require a public, searchable, machine-readable database and annual report by July 31. The bill would widen what counts as a death in custody, including some deaths during transport, arrests, and cer…
- State reporting deadlines and support: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would change the deadline states must meet from 120 days to 270 days for certain reports and shift specified responsibilities to the Bureau of Justice Assistance Director. For the first fiscal year after enactment, a State that fails to comply could use funds that otherwise wou…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-10909 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10909)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3069)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10909 (as of 2026-11-03).