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Protecting Private Electronic Communications Between Inmates and Attorneys

This bill prevents the Bureau of Prisons from monitoring emails and other electronic messages between incarcerated individuals and their legal counsel. It ensures that legal advice remains private, strengthening the right to a fair defense.
Key points
Prohibits monitoring of electronic messages between inmates and their lawyers.
Requires new systems to filter out and protect privileged legal communications.
Law enforcement can only access these messages with a court-approved warrant.
Evidence obtained by breaking these privacy rules can be thrown out of court.
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Status: Introduced
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Additional Information
Print number: 119_HR_7491
Sponsor: Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
Process start date: 2026-02-11
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure — full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source—always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-flash-latest
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 119_HR_7491.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2026-02-11.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Prohibits monitoring of electronic messages between inmates and their lawyers.
  • Requires new systems to filter out and protect privileged legal communications.
  • Law enforcement can only access these messages with a court-approved warrant.
  • Evidence obtained by breaking these privacy rules can be thrown out of court.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Introduced.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2026-02-19.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know—that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Courts and Law