Bill > LB99

This bill proposes significant reforms to the use of restrictive housing and solitary confinement in Nebraska's correctional facilities. It redefines restrictive housing as conditions of confinement with limited contact and less than ten hours of out-of-cell time per day, and establishes new limitations on its use. The bill prohibits holding inmates in restrictive housing for more than fifteen consecutive days and prevents more than one inmate from being placed in a single-person cell without voluntary written agreement. Critically, the legislation bans placing vulnerable populations (defined as individuals who are 18 or younger, pregnant, or diagnosed with serious mental illness, developmental disabilities, or traumatic brain injury) in restrictive housing. The bill also provides a comprehensive definition of serious mental illness and requires the Department of Correctional Services to develop individualized transition plans for inmates in restrictive housing. Additionally, the legislation mandates an annual report detailing restrictive housing usage, including demographic information, reasons for placement, mental health diagnoses, and release outcomes. The overall aim is to minimize the use of restrictive housing and solitary confinement, protect vulnerable inmates, and ensure more humane treatment within the correctional system.