PICTURE Act

Bill Number

H.R. 8761

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-05-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Last Updated

2026-06-25T08:09:01Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose The legislation establishes a statutory requirement for the Bureau of Prisons to create and maintain a centralized photographic record of all federal prisoners. It aims to standardize the collection of facial images for identification and record-keeping purposes.

Key Provisions

• Adds a new section (4015) to Chapter 301 of title 18, United States Code.
• Requires the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to maintain a photographic directory containing one photograph of each prisoner in federal custody.
• Specifies that each photograph must show an uncovered and unobstructed view of the prisoner’s face.
• Includes a clerical amendment to update the table of sections for Chapter 301.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces a new mandatory duty under federal law for the Bureau of Prisons to maintain a photographic directory.
• Prior to this bill, no specific statutory provision in title 18 required such a centralized directory, although the Bureau of Prisons already takes prisoner photographs as part of routine operations.

Potential Impacts

• On government agencies: The Bureau of Prisons would need to implement and maintain the directory, which may involve updating internal procedures and record systems.
• On citizens: The directory could support improved identification records for law enforcement and judicial purposes.
• No direct effects on international relations are outlined in the legislation.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• The Bureau of Prisons and its staff, who must create and manage the directory.
• Federal prisoners, whose images will be included.
• Federal law enforcement and judicial agencies that may access the records.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• The requirement involves standard identification practices already common in correctional settings and does not appear to raise new constitutional concerns regarding privacy or due process.
• The bill focuses narrowly on administrative record-keeping without altering sentencing, release, or other prisoner rights.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Perry, Scott [R-PA-10]

Cosponsors (6)

Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3], Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1], Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6], Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1], Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15], Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]

Recent Actions

• 2026-05-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2026-05-12: Introduced in House
• 2026-05-12: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Photographing Incarcerated Criminals To Update Records and Evidence Act — issued 2026-05-12 — PDF (2 pages)