Sovereign States Bureau of Prisons Restructuring Act of 2025

House Votes

This bill would change how federal prison money is handled. It tells the Attorney General to make a plan to bring federal prison funding back to the 2019 level and then split that money differently. Half of the funds would go to states as block grants, giving states more control over how that portion is used. Ten percent would go to the Justice Department office that runs the grants, and another ten percent would go to the Justice Department’s Inspector General for oversight. The plan must be created within 270 days and put in place within one year.

What this could mean for people and communities: states would manage a larger share of prison-related funding, which could change how programs, staffing, or facilities are supported at the state level. It also adds oversight money to watch how these grants are used, while possibly shrinking total federal prison funding if today’s level is above what it was in 2019.

• Who is affected: federal prison system, state governments, and Justice Department oversight offices
• What changes: funding reset to 2019 levels; 50% sent to states as block grants; 10% for grant administration; 10% for oversight
• When: plan due within 270 days; changes must be in place within one year