Video Visitation in Prisons Act of 2016
Bill journey · stage 2 of 5
Under committee review
What it doesSummary introduced in house (Dec 6, 2016)
Video Visitation in Prisons Act of 2016
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to promulgate regulations for video visitation services that allow inmates to make video calls to individuals outside a correctional facility, and amend its regulations on inmate calling services as necessary, to ensure that all charges and practices are just and reasonable.
The regulations must include:
- caps on rates charged by service providers,
- a prohibition against charging flat rates,
- a prohibition against a provider requiring a correctional facility to restrict in-person visitation as a condition to providing a calling or video visitation service,
- a prohibition against the provider offering bundled services that include non-communications services, and
- video quality standards.
The federal criminal code is amended to require the Bureau of Prisons to ensure that:
- video visitation does not supplant in-person visitation;
- privacy is maximized in the video areas and equipment;
- no persons other than corrections officers have authority over the terms of a prisoner's imprisonment, including visitation schedules or the ability to move within a correctional facility; and
- service providers provide a list of each video visitation and each fee charged to visitors and prisoners, offer free visits based on good behavior if authorized by the correctional facility, and submit quarterly compliance reports.
What just happenedDec 22, 2016
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Who’s behind it
- Introduced in HouseDec 6, 2016
- Dec 22, 2016Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee - Dec 6, 2016IntroReferralH11100
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Energy and Commerce Committee - Dec 6, 2016IntroReferralH11100-A
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Dec 6, 2016IntroReferralH11100
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Judiciary Committee - Dec 6, 2016IntroReferralIntro-H
Introduced in House
- Dec 6, 2016IntroReferral1000
Introduced in House