Private Prison Information Act of 2007

Private Prison Information Act of 2007 - Provides that each nongovernmental entity contracting with the federal government to incarcerate or detain federal prisoners in a privately-owned prison or other correctional facility shall have the same duty to release information about the operation of that facility as a federal agency operating such a facility would have under the Freedom of Information Act. Authorizes any party aggrieved by a violation of that duty to obtain relief in a civil action.

[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1889 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1889

 To require prisons and other correctional facilities holding Federal 
prisoners under a contract with the Federal Government to make the same 
     information available to the public that Federal prisons and 
           correctional facilities are required to do by law.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 17, 2007

 Mr. Holden (for himself, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Ellsworth, Mr. Murtha, Mr. 
 Brady of Pennsylvania, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Ms. 
Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Miller of Florida, and Mr. LaHood) introduced 
    the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require prisons and other correctional facilities holding Federal 
prisoners under a contract with the Federal Government to make the same 
     information available to the public that Federal prisons and 
           correctional facilities are required to do by law.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Private Prison Information Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUIREMENT FOR CONTRACT PRISONS.

    (a) In General.--Each nongovernmental entity contracting with the 
Federal Government to incarcerate or detain Federal prisoners in a 
privately owned prison or other correctional facility shall have the 
same duty to release information about the operation of that prison or 
correctional facility as a Federal agency operating such a facility 
would have under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).
    (b) Regulations.--A Federal agency that contracts with a 
nongovernmental entity to incarcerate or detain Federal prisoners in a 
privately owned prison or other correctional facility shall promulgate 
regulations or guidance to ensure compliance by the nongovernmental 
entity with the terms of such contract.
    (c) Civil Action.--Any party aggrieved by a violation of the duty 
established in subsection (a) may, in a civil action, obtain 
appropriate relief against the nongovernmental entity operating the 
facility or against any other proper party.
    (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``privately owned prison 
or other correctional facility'' includes privately owned prisons or 
other correctional facilities that incarcerate or detain prisoners 
pursuant to a contract with--
            (1) the Federal Bureau of Prisons;
            (2) Immigration and Customs Enforcement; or
            (3) any other Federal agency.
                                 <all>