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119-s-3664119th Congress

Correctional Facility Disaster Preparedness Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would strengthen prison disaster preparedness by increasing transparency and expanding oversight of emergency planning in federal correctional facilities. It would force the Bureau of Prisons to document disaster impacts in detail and offer corrective actions and legislative recommendations to Congress and oversight bodies.

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  • Families and inmates would see more detailed, facility-by-facility annual reports on disaster damage and effects. Reports would cover injuries and deaths, access to medical care, food, drinkable water, personal protective equipment, hygiene supplies, visitation changes, disability accommodations, educational and work programs, inmate grievances, and repair cost estimates.
  • Bureau of Prisons leaders and staff would face new accountability. The Director would have to include corrective action plans with timelines and appoint an official within 90 days to carry out those plans. Reports must also explain decisions about home confinement and early release, including approvals and denials.
  • Oversight and preparedness would expand through changes at the National Institute of Corrections. The NIC board would grow from 10 to 14 members and add required members with lived incarceration experience or advocacy, an emergency response accreditation specialist, a public health expert on communicable disease, and a union representative. NIC would also have to hold at least one public field hearing within one year on emergency preparedness and recovery for correctional facilities.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Prison disaster reports and plans

If enacted, the Bureau of Prisons Director would send a report on every "major disaster" when the first report is due upon enactment and then yearly. "Major disaster" would mean either a Presidential Stafford Act declaration or a natural disaster, extreme weather event, or public health emergency that damages or disrupts services and that the Bureau determines is a major disaster. Each report would list physical damage by BOP facility and contract prison, injuries and deaths, access to medical care, food, drinkable water, PPE, and hygiene supplies. The report would include data and justification for early release or home confinement decisions, visitation with counsel and visitors, accommodations for inmates with disabilities, education and work program impacts, inmate grievances, repair cost estimates, and staffing or equipment effects. Each report would include corrective actions with a timeline and specific legislative recommendations to Congress. The Director would have to appoint an official to carry out the corrective action plan within 90 days after enactment.

Stronger corrections preparedness board and hearings

If enacted, the National Institute of Corrections board would grow from 10 to 14 members and add four required qualifications. New seats would include someone who was incarcerated or who advocates for incarcerated people; an emergency response coordinator with accreditation program experience; a public health professional experienced with communicable diseases; and a union representative for Bureau of Prisons employees. The bill would also require NIC to hold at least one public field hearing within one year on prison emergency preparedness and recovery. The hearing would cover inmate access to medical care, food, water, PPE, and hygiene; use of home confinement or early release; standards for legal and visitor access and suspensions; accommodations for inmates with disabilities; use of federal funds to repair facilities; and risk-management best practices from FEMA, HHS, and the GAO.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]

IL • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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