Sponsor
Timothy Burchett
Representative · R-TN
Representative · R-TN
The bill increases federal oversight and creates incentives to restrict pretrial release to boost perceived public safety, but does so at the risk of cutting funding and support for education, reentry, victim services, child protections, and creating administrative disruptions for agencies and service providers.
State and local jurisdictions that currently limit pretrial detention may face incentives to tighten pretrial release policies, which could lead to increased perceived public safety in those communities.
The Attorney General's required reporting increases federal visibility and accountability over local pretrial release practices, giving grant administrators more information for funding decisions and oversight.
States and localities that permit pretrial release risk losing federal funding for law enforcement, victim services, education, workforce programs, and legal aid, which could reduce public safety and supports for crime victims and at-risk populations.
Cuts to Pell Grants for incarcerated students and to Second Chance Act programs would reduce education and reentry support for incarcerated people, likely harming rehabilitation and increasing recidivism risks.
Jurisdictions serving low-income communities could lose child abuse prevention and legal aid funding, worsening services for vulnerable children, families, and nonprofits that rely on these supports.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Withholds specified federal grant funds from states and localities that permit pretrial release on personal recognizance or unsecured appearance bonds.
Official title: To prohibit the provision of Federal funding to States and local governments that permit cashless bail, and for other purposes.
Introduced November 20, 2025 by Timothy Burchett · Last progress November 20, 2025
Prohibits federal grant funding for certain DOJ, education, workforce, victim services, and legal aid programs to any State or local government that allows pretrial release on personal recognizance or by unsecured appearance bond. The Attorney General must identify jurisdictions that permit those release methods within 30 days of enactment and annually; agency heads must terminate covered grants to listed jurisdictions within 90 days and may reinstate funds 180 days after a jurisdiction is removed from the list. The bill defines a list of "covered grant programs" (including specific Justice Department programs, certain education and workforce grants, Second Chance Act programs, Pell grants for incarcerated students, victim services, child abuse prevention grants, and Legal Services Corporation funding) and explicitly requires the Legal Services Corporation president to comply with funding termination and reinstatement timelines.