H.R. 9815

119 HR 9815 IH: Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2026
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-07-21
 text/xml
 EN
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 9815  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   July 21, 2026   Ms. Norton  (for herself and  Ms. Pingree ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on the Judiciary    A BILL
To require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to provide certain information to inmates with respect to voting, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2026  .
2.
Information with respect to voting
(a)
In general
Not later than 90 days before a Federal, State or local election, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall send to—
(1)
each inmate, through the Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System (TRULINCS) (or a successor platform), who is (or prior to incarceration was) a resident of a State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, a message including—
(A)
information on how to register to vote; and
(B)
information on how to request an absentee ballot; and
(2)
each Re-entry Affairs Coordinator of each Federal correctional facility, information including—
(A)
criteria for voter registration for each State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons;
(B)
instructions on voter registration for each State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons;
(C)
printed voter registration forms for each State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons; and
(D)
prepaid envelopes for voter registration forms, as provided by a State Bureau of Election.
(b)
Publication; delivery
(1)
Federal correctional facility
In each Federal correctional facility, the Director shall make available to inmates the information under subsection (a), including by posting such information physically at the correctional facility.
(2)
Internet website
The Director shall publish on the internet website of the Bureau of Prisons the information under subsection (a).
(3)
Delivery
The Re-entry Affairs Coordinator of each Federal correctional facility shall provide each inmate who is (or prior to incarceration was) a resident of a State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons information identified under subsection (a)(2).
(c)
Language availabilities
The Director shall provide any information under subsection (a) in both English and Spanish, if the State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons makes available such information in both English and Spanish.
(d)
Support for certain inmates
The Director shall provide support to any inmate who needs assistance with voter registration as a result of a recognized disability.
(e)
State defined
In this section, the term  State  means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.