“To require an independent review process for the prohibition of books at Bureau of Prisons facilities, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section defines, for purposes of the Act, (1) the term "Director" as the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, and (2) the term "professional librarian" as a librarian who has a master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association.
This section directs the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director to establish a Publication Review Committee within 90 days of enactment to approve or disapprove the availability of books at BOP facilities. The committee consists of not fewer than five members, including the Federal Prison Ombudsman, one BOP-employed professional librarian, one incarcerated individual, and one individual with First Amendment expertise. Following the committee's establishment, the Director may prohibit a book only after submitting a written request with a detailed explanation and receiving committee approval; incarcerated individuals may appeal prohibitions to the committee, which must issue a final written determination within 90 days. Prohibitions are not permitted to eliminate disfavored viewpoints or content (i.e., those substantially motivated by the book's viewpoint, unpopularity, repugnancy, or violation of incarcerated individuals' information access rights), and determinations are at the committee's discretion without Director approval. (Thus, a book subject to a pre-removal appeal remains accessible until the committee's final determination.)
This section requires the Director to submit an annual report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal year following enactment, detailing any books prohibited during the preceding fiscal year and summarizing each appeal filed under section 3(c)(2), including its status and final outcome as applicable.