Sponsors (7)
The bill offers modest, targeted federal support to expand and coordinate local reentry services that can improve outcomes and public safety, but conditions on funding may encourage punitive practices and expanded pretrial detention while adding unfunded federal spending.
People returning from incarceration — especially low-income individuals and people with disabilities — can access locally delivered mentoring, reentry education, substance‑use treatment, and coordinated supervision through grant-funded programs.
Provides predictable federal funding and program incentives that help state and local governments and community organizations build and coordinate reentry services, which may reduce recidivism and improve public safety.
Defendants — particularly low-income people who lack strong counsel — may face expanded pretrial detention because jurisdictions must allow consideration of community danger in release decisions.
Tying grant eligibility to recent criminal‑justice measures (e.g., hiring prosecutors/police or adopting dangerousness laws) may push jurisdictions toward more punitive policies and away from alternative, less‑carceral approaches favored by some community advocates.
Authorizes $10 million per year (FY2026–2031) without an identified offset, increasing federal spending and potentially raising costs for taxpayers or crowding out other programs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes grants to eligible states/localities for community mentoring and reentry services if jurisdictions allow courts to consider community danger in pretrial release; $10M/year authorized for FY2026–2031.
Introduced January 3, 2025 by Claudia Tenney · Last progress January 3, 2025
Creates a federal grant program, administered by the Attorney General through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, to fund community-based mentoring and transitional/reentry services. Grants are available only to states and local governments that allow courts to consider danger to the community when setting bail or pretrial release and that took specified steps in the prior year to prevent repeat violent offending. The program is authorized at $10 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2031. Definitions for eligible recipients and key terms are set by reference to existing U.S. Code provisions.