Marc Fischer Memorial Act

Key Points

• This bill requires federal prisons to create a plan to stop fentanyl and other dangerous drugs from being smuggled in through the mail. It aims to protect both prison staff and inmates from accidental exposure and drug overdoses, which have increased by 600% in recent years.
• Under the new rules, inmates would receive a digital scan of their letters within 24 hours of the mail arriving. If the physical mail is found to be safe and drug-free, the original paper copy must be given to the inmate within 30 days.
• The Bureau of Prisons must find and use technology that can scan 100% of the mail coming into all 122 federal facilities. This includes looking at tools already used by other agencies to catch illegal items before they enter a building.
• The goal is to have this scanning system fully working across the country within three years. By moving mail processing to digital scans or offsite locations, the bill also hopes to free up prison guards to focus on security instead of sorting paper.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.