Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is leading a group of 30 attorneys general in a bipartisan effort to urge Congress to approve federal legislation aimed at curbing the use of contraband cell phones in prisons. The bills in question, H.R. 2350 and S. 1137, were introduced by Tennessee Congressman David Kustoff and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton. These measures aim to give states the ability to implement cell phone jamming systems in correctional facilities to dismantle criminal operations orchestrated by inmates using these illegal devices.
"Contraband cell phones pose a serious risk to public safety when criminals reach beyond prison walls and continue terrorizing our communities," stated Attorney General Skrmetti. "This legislation finally gives states the tools they need to stop this illegal and dangerous activity."
The coalition's letter to Congress emphasizes how inmates utilize contraband phones for various nefarious activities, including directing drug trafficking operations, orchestrating violence, conducting fraud schemes, intimidating witnesses and victim’s families, and planning escapes that threaten law enforcement and public safety.
Under current federal law, states are prohibited from using cell phone jamming technology, leaving prisons vulnerable to the increasing threat posed by illicit communications. The proposed legislation, H.R. 2350 and S. 1137, intends to provide states the power to deploy focused jamming systems that would not interfere with essential emergency signals such as 9-1-1.
"This is not a partisan issue—it is a matter of public safety," the letter from the coalition stated, emphasizing the bipartisan agreement on the matter. A survey conducted in 2020 among 20 state corrections departments revealed the discovery of 25,840 contraband cell phones within that year, underscoring the magnitude of the issue.
The effort is spearheaded by Attorney General Skrmetti, along with the attorneys general from Georgia, North Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with additional support from attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, 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 call on Congress to move forward and pass the necessary legislation in 2025.
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