The Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act addresses the medical and safety needs of pregnant and postpartum women in the U.S. prison and jail system. The bill prohibits the shackling of pregnant individuals during incarceration and creates federal incentives for states to adopt similar protections by reducing Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Grants by 25 percent for non-compliant states. The legislation establishes model maternal health programs in at least six federal Bureau of Prisons facilities and provides grants of $10 million annually through 2031 to states and local jurisdictions to develop or expand pregnancy and postpartum care programs in their facilities, which may include perinatal health workers, mental health counseling, nutrition support, officer training, and assistance maintaining contact between mothers and newborns. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to study maternal and infant health outcomes among incarcerated women, with particular attention to racial and ethnic disparities, within two years of enactment.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.