H.R. 7718 would allow pregnant women in federal custody to file suit in federal court for grievances concerning prison conditions without first exhausting administrative remedies. As a result, CBO expects the bill would increase the number of suits filed by inmates against the Bureau of Prisons, some of which would likely result in a settlement paid from the Judgement Fund. While the number and magnitude of those settlements is uncertain, CBO estimates that payments from the fund will be insignificant in any year.
The federal judiciary charges fees to file suit in district court. Those fees are recorded as revenues and can be spent without further appropriation. CBO estimates that the number of additional suits filed each year would be small.
Taken together, enacting the bill would increase the deficit by $1 million over the 2020-2030 period.
