Attorney General Dave Sunday has joined a coalition of 26 state attorneys general in urging Congress to pass legislation that would authorize states to implement cell phone jamming systems in prisons. The initiative aims to address the issue of contraband cell phones, which are often used by incarcerated individuals to conduct illegal activities, including orchestrating drug trafficking and planning escapes.
“Jamming,” which involves disrupting cell phone signals, would disable non-emergency calls within prison walls. The proposed legislation, H.R. 2350 and S. 1137, is specific to contraband phones and would not affect the use of landline phones by inmates.
Attorney General Sunday stated, “The reality is that some incarcerated individuals continue with their criminal activities while behind bars — be it orchestrating a drug or firearms trafficking organization or intimidating a witness in their case to not cooperate with authorities. This legislation will help keep our communities safer by eliminating crimes aided by the use of contraband cell phones.”
The legislative effort is led by Tennessee Congressman David Kustoff and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton. The coalition has addressed a letter to Congress, emphasizing the urgency of the matter as it impacts correctional facilities' ability to manage increasingly prevalent threats. Federal law currently prohibits the use of cell phone jamming technology by states, which the coalition argues leaves facilities vulnerable.
In a 2020 survey of 20 state corrections departments, 25,840 contraband cell phones were reported in a single year, underscoring the extent of the issue, as mentioned in the letter. The coalition, guided by Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti and members from Georgia, North Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, includes Attorneys General from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. They collectively seek prompt congressional action to pass this legislation in 2025.