First Step Implementation Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would extend First Step Act sentence-reduction rules to more federal offenses and add new safety-valve relief for some drug cases. It would also create a comprehensive juvenile record and sentence-review system to help people convicted as youth rebuild their lives.
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- People convicted of specified federal offenses would become eligible for First Step Act-style sentence reductions after a government inquiry, with victims’ rights preserved and a new safety-valve that still excludes serious drug or serious violent felonies.
- People who committed offenses before age 18 could seek a modification of long prison terms only after serving at least 20 years; the court may reduce a term if the person is not dangerous and reduction serves justice, and any reduction requires at least 5 years of supervised release.
- Juveniles with qualifying nonviolent offenses would get a two-track record regime: automatic sealing after 3 years with no new convictions, a petition path for earlier sealing, and an expungement process that requires record destruction 1 year after the order subject to narrow exceptions. The bill also includes fee waivers, counsel protections for youth, and reporting rules for courts.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Reduce long adult sentences for juveniles
If enacted, a person convicted as an adult for an offense committed before age 18 could ask a federal court to reduce a prison term after serving at least 20 years. The court would have to find the person is not a danger and that justice supports the change. Any reduction would require at least five years of supervised release. The Bureau of Prisons must notify people who have served 19 years, and courts must follow victims' rights and provide counsel if needed.
More sentence relief for federal defendants
If enacted, federal defendants sentenced on or after enactment would be able to ask courts to reduce sentences under First Step Act rules. The Government would have to do a particularized inquiry for each request and victims' rights would apply. Courts could waive one criminal-history rule that blocks safety-valve relief if the court explains why it overstates the person's record, but not for people convicted of a "serious drug felony" or "serious violent felony." The bill would also replace some "felony drug offense" terms with "serious drug felony or serious violent felony," changing which drug crimes trigger higher penalties.
Fix federal background check errors
If enacted, the Attorney General would have to set rules to make federal criminal records accurate and complete when shared for jobs, housing, or other civil uses. The AG would correct errors or deletions, try to get missing dispositions within 10 days, and let applicants get a copy and challenge mistakes. The AG must finish investigations within 30 days and tell the requester about fixes. Arrests older than two years without a disposition generally could not be shared for job checks. The AG would issue rules within one year and report to Congress within two years.
Sealing and expunging juvenile records
If enacted, qualifying nonviolent juvenile records would be automatically sealed three years after a juvenile finishes probation, detention, or supervision, if there are no new convictions and no active proceedings. People could ask a court to seal earlier. Custodians must seal records and certify under penalty of perjury. The bill limits who can see sealed records (for example, some law enforcement checks, military vetting, and prosecutorial uses) and makes unauthorized disclosure a crime. After a court orders expungement, records must be destroyed one year later unless a new qualifying incident occurs. Indigent petitioners could file without fees and the courts would use a universal form and report implementation.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 12/15/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov