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H.R. 8690119th CongressIn committeeLatest action May 8, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 8690 bans restraints and solitary confinement for pregnant federal detainees and requires prenatal care across all federal custody settings.
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HR 8690 establishes standards for the treatment of pregnant women held in federal prisons, immigration detention, Border Patrol custody, and refugee shelters. It bans physical restraints and solitary confinement from the time pregnancy is confirmed through at least 12 weeks postpartum, with narrow exceptions requiring daily written review. Facilities must provide prenatal care, nutrition including prenatal vitamins, mental health screenings, parenting rights education, pregnancy testing at intake, and at least 60 minutes of newborn bonding time.
The bill applies to pregnant women in any form of federal custody, including Bureau of Prisons facilities, ICE detention, CBP holding areas, and Office of Refugee Resettlement shelters. Women who believe their rights were violated may sue the responsible federal agency in court for money damages or other relief.
Facilities would be required to train staff on these rules within 180 days and then twice yearly, and the government would be required to collect and publish detailed data on pregnant women in federal custody nationwide. Women in their third trimester cannot be placed in solitary confinement under any circumstances, and high-risk patients may be transferred to halfway houses closer to their families.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability.