# 119-s-4917: Monitor Accountability Act

119-s-4917, Monitor Accountability Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA] (R-LA); status introduced (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4917
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-4917
- Congress: 119
- Title: Monitor Accountability Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-06-24
- Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA] (R-LA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Law
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-11

## Summary

**Monitor accountability** is the focus of this bill. It would define who is a court-appointed monitor and require the Judicial Conference to issue rules within 180 days that limit monitor fees and allow pro bono or reduced rates, cap terms at 5 years and bar serving on more than one monitorship at a time, require public notice and comment before appointments, require annual public accounting of services and fees, bar a successor monitor from working for the prior monitor's employer, and set hearing, transfer, and replacement rules for long-running monitorships.

## Provisions PRIA read

- New limits and rules for monitors: benefit, low. This bill would define a "monitor" as a person a court orders to watch a State or local government. The Judicial Conference would have 180 days after enactment to make a rule that sets appointment conditions. The rule would cap monitor fees at rates set by the Judicial Conference and allow pro bono…

## Related bills

- 119-s-688: Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025
- 119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-4065: STAND with Taiwan Act of 2026
- 119-s-3492: Essential Caregivers Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-4917 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4917)

## Related
- [119-s-688: Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-688)
- [119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4952)
- [119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4378)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-4065: STAND with Taiwan Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4065)
- [119-s-3492: Essential Caregivers Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3492)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4917 (as of 2026-08-11).