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HR 6441 114th Congress House Science, Technology, Communications

Video Visitation in Prisons Act of 2016

Introduced: December 6, 2016 Introduced by: Duckworth, Tammy Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 22, 2016
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Dec 6, 2016
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, 2016
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

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's happening now December 22, 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3