HB3353, titled the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act, would amend federal contraband law to increase the criminal penalty for providing a phone in a correctional facility. Specifically, it would revise 18 U.S.C. § 1791 so that a person who violates the prohibition on providing certain prohibited objects to inmates faces up to two years of imprisonment when the object is a phone, reflecting a heightened federal response to cellphone smuggling in prisons and jails.
The bill also directs the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to review agency policies within one year of enactment regarding inmates who make, possess, obtain, or attempt to make or obtain prohibited objects, and to update those policies as needed to better protect incarcerated individuals and staff. In effect, the measure would strengthen federal penalties and prompt an administrative review of prison contraband procedures, with the goal of improving institutional security and reducing the risks associated with illicit phones inside correctional facilities.
Impact
The bill would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code, section 1791, which governs providing or possessing contraband in prison. Its main legal effect is to create a specific enhanced penalty for supplying a phone as contraband, while leaving the broader contraband framework in place. It would also require the Bureau of Prisons to reassess and potentially revise internal policies related to prohibited objects, which could affect federal prison operations, inmate discipline, and staff safety protocols.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and corrections-security bill, with an emphasis on protecting staff and incarcerated people from the dangers posed by contraband phones. There is no recorded committee transcript or vote history in the provided material, so there is no evidence of formal opposition or support beyond the bill’s introduction and referral. The overall tone of the legislation is punitive toward contraband trafficking and administrative toward prison policy review.
Contention
The main policy issue is the severity and specificity of the penalty increase for phone-related contraband. Supporters would likely view the bill as a necessary deterrent against prison communications that can facilitate criminal activity, intimidation, or escape planning, while critics could question whether a new two-year penalty is the best approach or whether existing contraband laws already cover the conduct adequately. Another possible point of debate is the Bureau of Prisons review mandate, which could be seen either as a useful safety measure or as an open-ended administrative requirement with uncertain implementation.