releases: http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402706
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402706 | House Passes Deutch Bill to Allow Nonviolent Elderly Prisoners to Serve Remaining Sentence at Home | 2019-12-03 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | FL | Ted Deutch | D000610 | teddeutch.house.gov | legacy | This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed Congressman Ted Deutch's (FL-22) legislation (H.R. 4018) that would allow nonviolent elderly prisoners to serve the remainder of their sentence in a home detention program.H.R. 4018 was co-sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Doug Collins (GA-09), Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Chairwoman Karen Bass (CA-37), and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05). The Elderly and Family Reunification for Certain Non-Violent Offenders Pilot Program, which was reauthorized by the FIRST STEP Act of 2018, permits the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to transfereligible nonviolent elderly prisoners into a home detention pilot program based on the prisoner serving two-thirds of their sentence. However, as the statute is currently interpreted, the two-thirds sentence does not include good time credit. This bill would clarify the law to allow eligible nonviolent elderly prisoners to include good time credit as part of their two-thirds sentence requirement. Prisoners in the federal system can earn up to 54 days per year in good time credits that subtract from their total sentence. "I'm grateful for the support of Ranking Member Collins, Congressman Jeffries, Chairwoman Bass, and Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers on this bill," Congressman Deutch said. "With its passage, we are making an important clarification to the pilot program that allows elderly prisoners to transition to home confinement for the remainder of their sentence. As elderly prisoners are among the most vulnerable populations in prisons, this fix to include good time credit will allow more of them to benefit from this program. Not only is this the right thing to do, but it will also reduce federal costs in our prison system." When the FIRST STEP Act was signed into law last year, it represented monumental bipartisan reform to our prison system. Today's bill builds upon that momentum because it promotes fairness in the implementation of Good Conduct Time. My bipartisan bill will ensure our prisons do not become nursing homes, it will save taxpayer dollars and it will reward inmates who serve their time with good behavior. I look forward to seeing the Senate pass this bill and the president sign it into law, said Ranking Member Collins. "The FIRST STEP Act was just that a first step, said Chairwoman Bass. "Today, my colleagues and I are building on this work by taking yet another step towards a more just and fair criminal justice system. Allowing nonviolent elderly prisoners to serve the remainder of their sentence in a home detention program is the right thing to do and it will save money as well. I'm proud to support my colleagues on this important piece of legislation and look forward to continuing our work to reform the criminal justice system. As we continue looking for ways to reform our criminal justice system, my goal will always be to keep our communities safe and secure. Thoughtful changes to improve our prison system require accountability and fairness. This bipartisan legislation meets those goals by providing elderly offenders, who demonstrate good behavior, the opportunity to transition to home confinement to serve out their sentence, Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers said. This legislation is supported by 34 organizations, including the Aleph Institute, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, the Center for American Progress, FreedomWorks, Heritage Action for America, and the NAACP. The letter of support can be accessed here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |