All Roll Calls
Yes: 376 • No: 8
S307119th Congress
Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act
Sponsored By: Senator Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Became Law
Summary
This law makes protecting Bureau of Prisons staff from sexual harassment and sexual assault by incarcerated individuals a national priority. It requires the Bureau to adopt the Justice Department Inspector General's recommendations, expands incident data collection and analysis, and directs the Attorney General to create national prevention and punishment standards.
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- Correctional officers and other Bureau of Prisons employees gain clearer protections because the law defines sexual harassment and sexual assault and ties new national standards to data and accountability.
- The Bureau of Prisons must fully implement each recommendation from the Inspector General's 2023 report within 90 days or report to Congress explaining delays and providing a timeline.
- The Justice Department Inspector General will request updated data from the Bureau for fiscal years 2022 through 2025, analyze incident prevalence and punishments used during the five years before enactment, and give Congress and the Attorney General any additional recommendations.
- The Attorney General must publish a rule adopting national standards for preventing, reducing, and punishing inmate-on-staff sexual harassment and assault within 1 year after receiving the Inspector General's analysis.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stronger safety rules for federal prison staff
The Bureau of Prisons must finish every recommendation in the DOJ Inspector General’s 2023 report within 90 days of enactment. If it misses the deadline, the Bureau must tell Congress why and give a detailed timeline by that 90-day mark. One year after those fixes are done, the Inspector General gets updated data for fiscal years 2022–2025 and analyzes it, including how punishments were used in the five years before the law. The Inspector General sends findings and recommendations to Congress and the Attorney General. One year after getting that analysis, the Attorney General issues national standards to prevent, reduce, and punish harassment and assault by incarcerated people against staff.
Who is covered under this prison safety law
The law defines who is covered and what conduct counts. “Bureau” means the Federal Bureau of Prisons. “Correctional officer” and “incarcerated individual” use the meanings in 18 U.S.C. 4051. “Sexual assault” follows 10 U.S.C. 920 (b), (c), or (d). “Sexual harassment” means unwelcome sexual conduct that affects work or creates a hostile workplace. These definitions take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]
WV • R
Sponsored 2/19/2025
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/19/2025
Roll Call Votes
house vote • 8/31/2026
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
Yes: 376 • No: 8