Sovereign States Bureau of Prisons Restructuring Act of 2025
This bill, the Sovereign States Bureau of Prisons Restructuring Act of 2025, would direct the Attorney General to restructure funding issued to the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) as state block grants. The aim is to return funding to the 2019 level and to channel 50% of BOP funds to states as block grants, with 10% going to the DOJ office administering those block grants and 10% to the DOJ Office of the Inspector General for oversight. The plan must be developed within 270 days and implemented within one year after enactment. The core effect would be a significant shift of funding responsibility from the federal level to state governments, effectively reducing direct federal control over prison funding in favor of block-grant-supported state administration, while preserving some federal oversight. Note: The bill as written does not specify how the remaining 30% of funds would be used, creating an important ambiguity about total allocations beyond the 50%/10%/10% split.
Key Points
- 1Purpose and mechanism: Convert 50% of BOP funds into state block grants, with 10% to a DOJ office administering those grants and 10% to the DOJ OIG for oversight.
- 2Funding level: Requirement to restore the funding amount issued to the BOP to the level issued in fiscal year 2019.
- 3Timeline: Attorney General must develop the plan within 270 days of enactment and implement the plan within 1 year.
- 4Oversight and administration: A dedicated DOJ office would administer the state block grants, and the DOJ Office of the Inspector General would oversee the block grant funds.
- 5Ambiguity on the remainder: The statute specifies the 50%/10%/10% allocations but does not clarify how the remaining 30% of funds would be allocated, creating a potential gap in the funding structure.