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
110 bills
Stance split
148 for 43 against
National trend

Bills introduced per week

12-week window
Jun 29 Sep 14
Showing 3 of 3 bills

All criminal justice bills

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.
Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Tags Government Transparency
Dave Min (D) · 1 co-sponsor
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.
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.
Reggie Miller (D) · 7 co-sponsors