Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act of 2026
Rep. Cleaver Introduces Bill to Require Minimum Wage for Incarcerated Workers
This bill was recently introduced and is currently being reviewed by the House Committee on Education and Workforce. It is in the early stages of the legislative process and is considered active. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
Legislative Progress
This bill faces strong opposition due to the high costs it would impose on state and federal prison budgets. It currently lacks the bipartisan support needed to move through a divided Congress.
Key Points
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Some private companies contract with prisons to use incarcerated labor at very low wages. This bill would require those companies to pay minimum wage, dramatically increasing their labor costs. Businesses that rely on cheap prison labor would need to restructure their operations or find other workers.
“The term `employee' includes (in addition to an individual described in paragraph (2)(D)) any individual employed as an incarcerated worker by a private entity that operates, through a contract with a public agency, the correctional facility in which such individual is incarcerated or detained.”
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(9)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.