Sponsors (12)
The bill substantially expands wage, safety, reentry, and record‑relief protections for incarcerated firefighters and funds state enforcement, at the cost of increased federal spending, higher compliance and administrative burdens for governments and contractors, and the risk that some programs or jurisdictions may be disadvantaged or see reduced participation.
Incarcerated firefighters will be treated as FLSA-covered employees, gaining minimum wage/overtime protections and limits on counting board/lodging as wages.
Incarcerated firefighters and correctional staff will gain clearer workplace safety protections, mandatory reporting on injuries/deaths, and OSHA-like oversight that can identify hazards and drive corrective action.
States and localities will receive federal grants (including a $100M/year program and reserved annual funds) to update and enforce safety protections, supporting training, equipment, and improved rural fire-response capacity.
State and local governments, and private contractors, will face higher costs from expanded FLSA coverage, compliance with new safety standards, and potential increased wage payments.
Jurisdictions must carry new administrative burdens—biennial/annual reporting, grant certification, and application requirements—which will divert staff time and resources.
Some employers may reduce or eliminate incarcerated firefighter programs, or limit participation, to avoid higher wages and administrative burdens, reducing training and work opportunities for inmates.
Based on analysis of 12 sections of legislative text.
Extends OSHA and FLSA coverage and reporting to incarcerated firefighters, creates grants for safety and reentry, and establishes an expungement process for eligible participants.
Introduced May 26, 2025 by Sydney Kamlager-Dove · Last progress May 26, 2025
Extends workplace safety, wage, grant, rehabilitation, and record-clearing protections to people who work as incarcerated firefighters and to the correctional facilities that employ or contract them. The legislation adds definitions, requires new safety and reporting obligations for States, localities, and the Bureau of Prisons, creates federal grant programs for state safety law changes and reentry services, reserves funds in existing grant programs for protections, and creates a judicial expungement process for eligible incarcerated firefighters who meet timing and conduct criteria.