Senate bill doubles penalties for BOP officer assaults
In committeeS. 4305Latest action
Sponsor: Marsha Blackburn · Senator · TN
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: Safer Prisons Act of 2026
119th Congress
Topics: Crime & justice
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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S 4305 doubles the maximum prison sentence and fine a federal court can give someone convicted of assaulting a federal prison employee.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
This bill creates a higher punishment ceiling specifically for assaults on correctional officers who work for the federal Bureau of Prisons. Both the maximum prison sentence and the maximum fine a court can impose would be doubled compared to current law.
Who does it affect?
The higher penalties apply to anyone convicted of physically attacking a federal prison employee while that employee is on duty. Federal prosecutors and judges handling those cases are also affected, since the bill changes the upper limits they can work within.
Why does it matter?
Because maximum sentences and fines are doubled, judges would have the option to impose significantly longer sentences for the same type of assault when the victim is a BOP officer. This creates a separate, higher punishment track for this specific category of assault under federal law.
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Read the official bill on Congress.govMake the call
Where does it stand?
- IntroducedApr 15, 2026
- Senate committeeYou are here · Apr 15, 2026
- Senate vote
- House
- The president's desk
Right now: a Senate committee is reviewing it. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.