HR5152-119

What This Bill Does

The BOP Release Card ID Act creates a federal reentry identification document. Within 180 days, the Bureau of Prisons Director must issue a photo identification release card meeting REAL ID Act minimum standards to each U.S. citizen prisoner released from a BOP facility, and the card must remain valid for at least 18 months. BOP must negotiate with every state so former prisoners can use the release card to obtain state identification, and must report annually to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on those agreements. The card must be accepted as proof of identity for Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, other HHS programs, SNAP, TANF-funded programs, federal probation and pretrial services, the D.C. Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, Education Department programs, HUD programs, VA programs, and entry into federal buildings. The Attorney General must also issue guidance to states within one year on photo ID release cards for people leaving state correctional facilities.

Who Benefits and How

People leaving Bureau of Prisons custody benefit because they receive an identity document valid for at least 18 months at release. Former prisoners applying for Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, TANF, housing, education, or VA services benefit because federal programs must accept the release card as identity proof. State motor vehicle agencies benefit from negotiated systems for converting BOP release cards into state identification. Reentry service providers benefit because clients have a federal identity document for benefits, housing, employment, and building access.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Bureau of Prisons release staff must issue REAL ID-standard cards, negotiate with states, and report annually to congressional judiciary committees. Federal benefit program administrators must accept the cards as proof of identity across Social Security, HHS, SNAP, TANF, Education, HUD, and VA programs. State corrections agencies must account for Attorney General guidance on release-card systems for state prisoners. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of card production, state negotiations, guidance, and federal program implementation.

Key Provisions

• Requires BOP to issue REAL ID-standard photo release cards to U.S. citizen prisoners leaving federal custody within 180 days.
• Requires release cards to remain valid for at least 18 months after release.
• Directs BOP to negotiate state ID acceptance systems and report annually to Congress.
• Requires major federal benefit programs and federal building access rules to accept the card as identity proof.
• Directs the Attorney General to issue state correctional release-card guidance within one year.