I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 120 
To enhance public health and safety by improving the effectiveness and 
efficiency of the Federal prison system for incarcerated pregnant women 
and mothers by establishing a pilot program of critical-stage, develop-
mental nurseries in Federal prisons for children born to inmates, with 
risk and needs assessments, and risk and recidivism reduction. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 4, 2021 
Ms. JACKSON LEE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To enhance public health and safety by improving the effec-
tiveness and efficiency of the Federal prison system for 
incarcerated pregnant women and mothers by estab-
lishing a pilot program of critical-stage, developmental 
nurseries in Federal prisons for children born to inmates, 
with risk and needs assessments, and risk and recidivism 
reduction. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stop Infant Mortality 
And Recidivism Reduction Act of 2021’’ or the 
‘‘SIMARRA Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Director of the Federal Bureau of 
Prisons (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Director’’) shall 
establish a pilot program (hereinafter referred to as the 
‘‘Program’’) in accordance with this Act to permit women 
incarcerated in Federal prisons and the children born to 
such women during incarceration to reside together while 
the inmate serves a term of imprisonment in a separate 
housing wing of the prison. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of the Act are to— 
(1) prevent infant mortality among infants born 
to incarcerated mothers and greatly reduce the trau-
ma and stress experienced by the unborn fetuses of 
pregnant inmates; 
(2) reduce the recidivism rates of federally in-
carcerated women and mothers, and enhance public 
safety by improving the effectiveness of the Federal 
prison system for women as a population with spe-
cial needs; 
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(3) establish female offender risk and needs as-
sessment as the cornerstones of a more effective and 
efficient Federal prison system; 
(4) implement a validated post-sentencing risk 
and needs assessment system that relies on dynamic 
risk factors to provide Federal prison officials with 
a roadmap to address the pre- and post-natal needs 
of Federal pregnant offenders, manage limited re-
sources, and enhance public safety; 
(5) perform regular outcome evaluations of the 
effectiveness of programs and interventions for fed-
erally incarcerated pregnant women and mothers to 
assure that such programs and interventions are evi-
dence-based and to suggest changes, deletions, and 
expansions based on the results of such evaluations; 
and 
(6) assist the Department of Justice to address 
the underlying cost structure of the Federal prison 
system and ensure that the Department can con-
tinue to run prison nurseries safely and securely 
without compromising the scope or quality of the 
Department’s critical health, safety and law enforce-
ment missions. 
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SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL BUREAU 
OF PRISONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out this 
section in consultation with— 
(1) a licensed and board-certified gynecologist 
or obstetrician; 
(2) the Director of the Administrative Office of 
the United States Courts; 
(3) the Director of the Office of Probation and 
Pretrial Services; 
(4) the Director of the National Institute of 
Justice; and 
(5) the Director of the U.S. Department of 
Health & Human Services. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Director shall, in accordance with 
subsection (c)— 
(1) develop an offender risk and needs assess-
ment system particular to the health and sensitivi-
ties of federally incarcerated pregnant women and 
mothers in accordance with this section; 
(2) develop recommendations regarding recidi-
vism reduction programs and productive activities in 
accordance with section 9; 
(3) conduct ongoing research and data analysis 
on— 
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(A) the best practices relating to the use of 
offender risk and needs assessment tools par-
ticular to the health and sensitivities of feder-
ally incarcerated pregnant women and mothers; 
(B) the best available risk and needs as-
sessment tools particular to the health and sen-
sitivities of federally incarcerated pregnant 
women and mothers and the level to which they 
rely on dynamic risk factors that could be ad-
dressed and changed over time, and on meas-
ures of risk of recidivism, individual needs, and 
responsivity to recidivism reduction programs; 
(C) the most effective and efficient uses of 
such tools in conjunction with recidivism reduc-
tion programs, productive activities, incentives, 
and rewards; and 
(D) which recidivism reduction programs 
are the most effective— 
(i) for federally incarcerated pregnant 
women and mothers classified at different 
recidivism risk levels; and 
(ii) for addressing the specific needs 
of federally incarcerated pregnant women 
and mothers; 
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(4) on a biennial basis, review the system devel-
oped under paragraph (1) and the recommendations 
developed under paragraph (2), using the research 
conducted under paragraph (3), to determine wheth-
er any revisions or updates should be made, and if 
so, make such revisions or updates; 
(5) hold periodic meetings with the individuals 
listed in subsection (a) at intervals to be determined 
by the Director; and 
(6) report to Congress in accordance with sec-
tion 9. 
(c) METHODS.—In carrying out the duties under sub-
section (b), the Director shall— 
(1) consult relevant stakeholders; and 
(2) make decisions using data that is based on 
the best available statistical and empirical evidence. 
SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY. 
An inmate may apply to participate in the Program 
if the inmate— 
(1) is pregnant at the beginning of the term of 
imprisonment; and 
(2) is in the custody or control of the Federal 
Bureau of Prisons. 
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SEC. 6. PROGRAM TERMS. 
(a) TERM OF PARTICIPATION.—To correspond with 
the purposes and goals of the program to promote bonding 
during the critical stages of child development, an eligible 
inmate selected for the Program may participate in the 
Program, subject to section 7, for the shorter of the in-
mate’s term of imprisonment or 30 months. 
(b) INMATE REQUIREMENTS.—For the duration of 
an inmate’s participation in the Program, the inmate shall 
agree to— 
(1) accept the responsibility of child-rearing; 
(2) participate in any educational or counseling 
opportunities established by the Director, including 
topics such as child development, parenting skills, 
domestic violence, vocational training, or substance 
abuse; 
(3) abide by any court decision regarding the 
legal or physical custody of the child; 
(4) transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons 
any child support payments for the infant of the 
participating inmate from any person or govern-
mental entity; and 
(5) specify a person who has agreed to take 
custody of the child if the inmate’s participation in 
the Program terminates before the inmate’s release. 
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SEC. 7. TERMINATION OF PARTICIPATION. 
An inmate’s participation in the Program terminates 
upon the earliest of the following to occur: 
(1) The inmate is released from prison. 
(2) The infant fails to meet any medical criteria 
established by the Director or the Director’s des-
ignee along with a collective determination of the 
persons listed in section 4(a). 
SEC. 8. CONTINUITY OF CARE. 
The Director shall take appropriate actions to pre-
vent detachment or disruption of either an inmate’s or in-
fant’s health and bonding-based well-being due to termi-
nation of the Program. 
SEC. 9. REPORTING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act and once every year 
thereafter for 5 years, the Director shall submit a report 
to the Congress with regards to progress in implementing 
the Program. 
(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after 
the termination of the Program, the Director shall issue 
a final report to the Congress that contains a detailed 
statement of the Director’s findings and conclusions, in-
cluding recommendations for legislation, administrative 
actions, and regulations the Director considers appro-
priate. 
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SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
To carry out this Act, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 
2025. 
Æ 
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