Second Look Act of 2026
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Overview
The Second Look Act of 2026 aims to allow incarcerated individuals serving sentences longer than 10 years to petition a federal court for a review of their sentences. This review would be granted if the person is not deemed a danger to society, has demonstrated readiness for reentry, and the court finds that reducing the sentence is in the interest of justice. The bill seeks to address concerns about excessively long sentences, particularly for nonviolent offenses and those serving life sentences, and to provide a pathway for older inmates to potentially receive release.
Key provisions
- Establishes a process for incarcerated individuals to petition for sentence reduction.
- Allows a federal court to reduce a sentence to more than 10 years if the individual is not a danger and demonstrates readiness for reentry.
- Requires a court to consider factors such as the defendant’s age, rehabilitation, and community circumstances.
- Creates a rebuttable presumption of release for defendants 50 years of age or older.
- Provides for a series of application deadlines (second and third applications).
- Mandates a report from the Bureau of Prisons and the United States Attorney.
- Requires the Sentencing Commission to submit an annual report on sentence reduction requests.
- Includes a technical amendment to section 3582 to align with the new sentence reduction provisions.
Who is affected
- Incarcerated persons serving sentences longer than 10 years
Bill text
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Sponsors
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