A new bill will await President Biden’s signature when he returns from his vacation in the Virgin Islands. The bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to guarantee prison phone calls are reasonably priced.
Prison phone calls have become a lucrative business generating nearly $1.4 billion yearly. About one in three families go into debt to pay for phone calls or visitation, with women and people of color often paying the expensive fees. These fees vary by state, but the phone provider offers prisons and local governments kickbacks for enforcing the high prices. The FCC says it has tried to tackle the high costs for years and now has the power to “close this glaring, painful, and detrimental loophole.” According to the Prison Policy Initiative, the price of calls is the most significant barrier to family contact during incarceration. The FCC states when prisoners have regular contact with their families, it helps to reduce recidivism.
The House and the Senate have passed the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act. There is no word from the White House if Biden will sign the bill.
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