H.R. 8645

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8645 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8645

To amend the Second Chance Act of 2007 to require identification for 
returning citizens, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 30, 2026

Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Johnson of 
Georgia, Ms. Norton, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mrs. McIver, and 
Mr. Green of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Second Chance Act of 2007 to require identification for 
returning citizens, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``New Pathways Act''.

SEC. 2. IDENTIFICATION FOR RETURNING CITIZENS.

Section 231(b) of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (34 U.S.C. 
60541(b)) is amended to read as follows:
``(b) Identification and Release Assistance for Federal 
Prisoners.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
``(A) the term `community confinement' means 
residence in a community treatment center, halfway 
house, restitution center, mental health facility, 
alcohol or drug rehabilitation center, or other 
community facility;
``(B) the term `direct-release prisoner' means a 
prisoner who is scheduled for release and will not be 
placed in prerelease custody;
``(C) the term `noncitizen covered individual'--
``(i) means an individual in the custody of 
the Bureau of Prisons or sentenced to a term in 
community confinement who--
``(I) is lawfully present and 
eligible for employment authorization 
in the United States; and
``(II) has a document demonstrating 
that the individual will have a place 
of residence upon release; and
``(ii) includes an alien lawfully admitted 
for permanent residence (as defined in section 
101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1101(a))), a refugee (as defined in 
that section of that Act), and an asylee; and
``(D) the term `United States citizen covered 
individual' means an individual in the custody of the 
Bureau of Prisons or sentenced to a term in community 
confinement who has--
``(i) a social security card;
``(ii) a document described in paragraph 
(2)(B)(ii) as proof of United States 
citizenship; and
``(iii) a document demonstrating that the 
individual will have a place of residence upon 
release.
``(2) Obtaining identification for united states 
citizens.--
``(A) In general.--With respect to a United States 
citizen covered individual, the Director shall provide 
a photo identification card, which shall comply with 
the minimum requirements described in section 202(b) of 
the REAL ID Act of 2005 (49 U.S.C. 30301 note), prior 
to--
``(i) the release of the United States 
citizen covered individual from a term of 
imprisonment in a Federal prison; or
``(ii) the release of the United States 
citizen covered individual from a sentence to a 
term in community confinement.
``(B) Assistance in obtaining documents.--
``(i) In general.--Subject to clause (iii), 
for the purpose of issuing an identification 
card under this subsection, the Director shall 
obtain, on behalf of United States citizen 
covered individuals--
``(I) a social security card; and
``(II) a document described in 
clause (ii) as proof of United States 
citizenship.
``(ii) Proof of united states 
citizenship.--A document described in this 
clause is--
``(I) a United States passport;
``(II) an original or certified 
copy of a birth certificate that 
indicates that the individual was born 
in the United States or a territory of 
the United States;
``(III) in the case of a United 
States citizen born inside the United 
States for whom a document described in 
subclause (I) or (II) is not available, 
any document described in subsection 
(a), (b), or (c) of section 435.407 of 
title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, 
or any successor thereto; or
``(IV) in the case of a United 
States citizen born outside the United 
States, an original or certified copy 
of--
``(aa) a certificate of 
naturalization (Form N-550 or 
N-570);
``(bb) a consular report of 
birth abroad (Form FS-240);
``(cc) a certification of 
birth abroad (Form FS-545);
``(dd) a certification of 
report of birth (Form DS-1350); 
or
``(ee) a certificate of 
citizenship (Form N-560).
``(iii) Exceptions.--
``(I) Lack of response from federal 
or state agency.--If the Director 
cannot obtain a copy of a document 
required under clause (i) because of 
inaction by the Federal or State agency 
from which the document was requested, 
the Director shall provide to the 
United States citizen covered 
individual--
``(aa) a written statement 
that explains what steps the 
Director took in trying to 
obtain the document; and
``(bb) any documents 
transmitted to the Director by 
the Federal or State agency in 
response to the request for the 
document.
``(II) Lack of authorization from 
united states citizen covered 
individual.--If the Director cannot 
obtain a copy of a document required 
under clause (i) because the United 
States citizen covered individual does 
not provide the authorization required 
to obtain the document, the Director 
shall provide a written statement to 
the United States citizen covered 
individual that explains why the 
document was not obtained.
``(C) Provision of documents.--Upon issuance of an 
identification card to a covered individual under this 
paragraph, the Director shall provide all documents 
obtained for the United States citizen covered 
individual under subparagraph (B).
``(3) Obtaining documents for noncitizens.--
``(A) In general.--With respect to a noncitizen 
covered individual, the Director shall assist in 
obtaining from the Director of the U.S. Citizenship and 
Immigration Services--
``(i) proof of lawful status in the United 
States of the noncitizen covered individual; 
and
``(ii) in the case of a noncitizen covered 
individual who is not admitted for lawful 
permanent residence, an employment 
authorization document.
``(B) Assistance.--The assistance provided by the 
Director under subparagraph (A) shall include--
``(i) providing the noncitizen covered 
individual with applicable U.S. Citizenship and 
Immigration Services forms and instructions; 
and
``(ii) assisting the noncitizen covered 
individual in completing and submitting such 
forms, together with any required supporting 
documentation.
``(C) Provision of documents.--Upon receipt of a 
document for a noncitizen covered individual under this 
paragraph, the Director shall provide such document to 
the noncitizen covered individual.
``(4) Assistance developing release plan.--At the request 
of a direct-release prisoner, a representative of the United 
States Probation System shall, prior to the release of that 
prisoner, help that prisoner develop a release plan.''.
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