PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Drug-Free Prisons Act of 2000

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 24, 2000

Drug-Free Prisons Act of 2000 - Title I: Drug Testing Programs for Prisons - Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to States and units of local government, State and local courts, and Indian tribal governments for programs that support: (1) developing and implementing comprehensive drug testing policies and practices with regard to criminal justice populations; and (2) establishing appropriate interventions to illegal drug use for offender populations. Allows applicants to choose to submit joint proposals with other eligible criminal justice and court agencies for systemic drug testing and intervention programs. Directs the Attorney General to coordinate with the other Department of Justice initiatives that address drug testing and interventions in the criminal justice system.Requires grant applications to: (1) reflect a comprehensive approach that recognizes the importance of collaboration and a continuum of testing, treatment, and other interventions in the criminal justice system; (2) include a long-term strategy and detailed implementation plan; (3) address the applicant's capability to continue the proposed program following the conclusion of Federal support; (4) identify related governmental or community initiatives that complement or will be coordinated with the proposal; (5) certify that there has been appropriate consultation with affected agencies and key stakeholders throughout the criminal justice system and that there will be continued coordination throughout the implementation of the program; and (6) describe the methodology that will be used in evaluating the program.(Sec. 103) Sets forth provisions regarding application procedures, the Federal cost share, geographic distribution of grant awards, and technical assistance, training, and evaluation. Authorizes appropriations, with a set-aside for research and evaluation.Title II: Truth-In-Sentencing Grant Programs - Rewrites provisions of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (VCCLEA) to require: (1) States, to be eligible to receive a violent offender incarceration grant or a truth-in-sentencing incentive grant, to have a program of drug testing and intervention for appropriate categories of convicted offenders during periods of incarceration and criminal justice supervision, with sanctions that may include denial or revocation of release for positive drug tests, no later than December 31, 2000; and (2) beginning in FY 2001 and thereafter, States receiving such grant funds to have a system of sanctions and penalties that address drug trafficking within and into correctional facilities under their jurisdiction, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Attorney General (with provisions mandating a ten percent reduction for each fiscal year for which the Attorney General determines a State is not in compliance, with such funds reallocated to States that do comply). Requires that .75 percent of the funds made available for truth-in-sentencing grants be allocated to each State that meets VCCLEA requirements regarding both such grant programs, except that the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands shall each be allocated .05 percent (with the remainder allocated as currently specified under the VCCLEA).Title III: Reestablishment of Drug Courts - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Safe Streets Act) to reestablish drug courts. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to States, State and local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments for programs that involve: (1) continuing judicial supervision over offenders with substance abuse problems who are not violent offenders; and (2) the integrated administration of other sanctions and services, including mandatory periodic testing for the use of controlled or other addictive substances during any period of supervised release or probation, substance abuse treatment for each participant, supervised release involving the possibility of prosecution, confinement, or incarceration based on noncompliance with program requirements or failure to show satisfactory progress, and offender management and aftercare services.Directs the Attorney General to: (1) issue regulations or guidelines to ensure that the programs authorized in this part do not permit participation by violent offenders; and (2) immediately suspend funding for any grant under this part, pending compliance, if the Attorney General finds that violent offenders are participating in any program funded under this part.Sets forth provisions regarding administration, applications, the Federal share, geographic distribution, reporting requirements, and technical assistance, training, and evaluation. Authorizes appropriations under the Safe Streets Act, with a set-aside for research and evaluation.Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the Safe Streets Act to: (1) reauthorize the residential substance abuse treatment for prisoners (part S) grant program; (2) allow States that demonstrate that they have existing in-prison drug treatment programs that are in compliance with Federal requirements to use funds awarded under part S for treatment and sanctions both during incarceration and after release; and (3) make exceptions to time limits for drug control and system improvement (Byrne) grants to State and local governments for victim assistance programs, drug and alcohol abuse treatment in prisons and jails, community-based programs for adult and juvenile drug-dependent and alcohol-dependent offenders, monitoring of drug-dependent offenders, certain innovative programs, and providing alternatives to prevent detention, jail, and prison for persons who pose no danger to the community.(Sec. 404) Amends the VCCLEA to: (1) authorize any State or unit of local government which has unexpended funds granted to it under the violent offender incarceration or truth-in-sentencing incentive grant programs for FY 1996 through 2001 to expend not more than 25 percent of such funds for the implementation of graduated sanctions or sentencing alternatives to incarceration, provided that such implementation shall be undertaken by said State or local unit for the purpose of freeing suitable existing prison space for the confinement of persons convicted of part 1 violent crimes; and (2) authorize appropriations for FY 2001 through 2005.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · D–VT

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
3 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

  2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4380-4381)

  3. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.2619 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.2619 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.2619 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.2619 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources