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Issue · Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice across the country

Every criminal justice bill from all 50 state legislatures and Congress, introduced in the last 12 weeks and automatically classified by Maddy, our AI policy reader.

Total bills
191
last 12 weeks
Active states
14
jurisdictions with bills
Most active
United States
110 bills
Stance split
148 for 43 against
National trend

Bills introduced per week

12-week window
Jun 29 Sep 14
Showing 6 of 6 bills

Bills supporting criminal justice

in committee · United States · House Jul 20, 2026

HR 9778: Judicial FOIA Expansion Act

This bill expands the Freedom of Information Act to require federal courts to release specific records upon public request. It mandates the disclosure of attorney disciplinary actions, complaints against judges, meeting minutes, jury selection forms, and performance reports, while explicitly excluding information related to ongoing cases. The legislation also requires that released data be in a machine-readable format and authorizes funding to establish an office within the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to manage these new requirements.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances transparency and accountability in the judicial system by mandating public disclosure of disciplinary actions and performance reports, which strengthens oversight.90% confidence
Sub-Topics Courts Tags Government Transparency
Daniel S. Goldman (D) · 4 co-sponsors
in committee · United States · House Jul 22, 2026

HR 9860: Pardon Transparency and Accountability Act of 2026

The Pardon Transparency and Accountability Act of 2026 requires the President to publicly explain the reasons for any pardon, commutation, reprieve, or fine remission in the Federal Register and on the official White House website. It also mandates that the Pardon Attorney prepare a Justice Impact Statement within 30 days, which must include victim statements and input from law enforcement officials regarding the potential impact on ongoing investigations. Additionally, the bill expands lobbying disclosure rules to require immediate registration and reporting for any lobbying efforts related to seeking executive clemency, regardless of the amount of money involved. Finally, the Pardon Attorney will conduct annual studies on how well the government follows these new transparency requirements and report the findings to Congress.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances transparency and accountability in executive clemency, requiring victim input and law enforcement consultation to protect justice integrity.85% confidence
Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Tags Government Transparency
Dave Min (D) · 1 co-sponsor
in committee · United States · Senate Jul 20, 2026

S 5033: Judicial FOIA Expansion Act

The Judicial FOIA Expansion Act requires federal courts to release specific records to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. This law mandates the disclosure of attorney disciplinary actions, complaints against judges, meeting minutes, jury selection forms, and performance reports, while explicitly excluding information about ongoing cases. The bill also directs courts to provide this data in machine-readable formats and authorizes $10 million in funding to establish an office within the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to manage these requirements.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances judicial transparency and accountability by mandating public disclosure of disciplinary records and performance reports, which strengthens oversight within the criminal justice system.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates machine-readable data formats and funding for transparency, advancing digital access and data utility.75% confidence
Sub-Topics Courts Tags Government Transparency
Adam B. Schiff (D) · 3 co-sponsors
in committee · United States · Senate Jul 15, 2026

S 5005: Epstein Files Transparency Act II

This bill, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, strengthens the ability of state attorneys general, district attorneys, and victims to legally challenge the U.S. Attorney General for withholding or redacting records related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. It grants these parties the right to sue in federal court to force the release of unredacted documents, including classified materials, while requiring courts to expedite these cases. The legislation clarifies that federal agencies cannot use standard legal privileges to hide relevant evidence and explicitly defines who qualifies as a victim for the purposes of accessing these files. Additionally, it ensures that state and local law enforcement can use the released information in their own investigations without being restricted by federal privacy regulations.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances transparency and accountability in law enforcement by allowing challenges to withheld records, protecting civil rights and improving oversight.90% confidence
Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement Tags Government Transparency
Jeff Merkley (D) · 1 co-sponsor
in committee · Michigan · House Jul 14, 2026

HB 6157: Civil rights: public records; regulation of disclosure of certain information; provide for. Creates new act.

This bill, known as the Shielding Information for Lawful and Ethical Disclosure Act, prevents Michigan government agencies from sharing large amounts of personal data with federal immigration officials without specific authorization. It defines "bulk disclosure" as transferring data on multiple people without reviewing each case individually and allows such sharing only if a court order exists, the transfer serves a specific law enforcement purpose, or it is immediately necessary to protect health and safety. The law applies to all state, county, and municipal departments and officers, while giving the state attorney general the power to seek court orders to stop illegal data sharing.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill protects civil rights by limiting bulk data sharing with immigration officials, enhancing privacy and oversight.90% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill restricts bulk data sharing with federal immigration, protecting immigrant privacy and limiting state cooperation with federal enforcement.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill protects data privacy by restricting bulk disclosure of personal information to federal immigration officials without court orders.90% confidence
Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts Law Enforcement Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement Sanctuary Policies Data Privacy Tags Government Transparency
Reggie Miller (D) · 7 co-sponsors
in committee · United States · House Jul 15, 2026

HR 9694: Epstein Files Transparency Act II

This bill strengthens the Epstein Files Transparency Act by giving state attorneys general and victims the legal right to sue the U.S. Attorney General if they unlawfully withhold, redact, or delay access to investigation records. It requires the Justice Department to provide unredacted copies of documents to state officials for use in investigations and to victims personally, while allowing redactions only to protect the privacy of other victims. The legislation also mandates that courts expedite these cases, removes common legal excuses for hiding documents, and imposes criminal penalties on federal employees who obstruct compliance. Additionally, it grants Members of Congress the authority to request full access to records and to file lawsuits if the Attorney General fails to comply within a set timeframe.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances transparency and accountability in law enforcement by mandating access to investigation records and allowing lawsuits against the DOJ for withholding evidence.95% confidence
Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Victims' Rights Tags Government Transparency
Thomas Massie (R) · 7 co-sponsors