This bill has advanced since we wrote our summary.
Current stage on Congress.gov: Referred in Senate.
The Monitor Accountability Act would impose new federal rules on court-appointed monitors who oversee state or local government compliance with federal consent decrees — a role most often used in police excessive-force, voting rights, prison conditions, and school desegregation cases. Within 180 days of enactment, the Administrative Office of US Courts must set a maximum hourly fee any such monitor can charge and would encourage pro-bono or reduced-rate service. Each monitor could hold only one monitorship at a time, for a maximum five-year term, with no reappointment under the same court order — and any successor monitor must work for a different employer. Federal district courts would have to provide public notice and an opportunity for public comment before appointing a monitor, and monitors must file annual public accountings of services and fees. After six years, a monitored case is automatically transferred to a different judge. The changes apply retroactively: existing six-year-old monitorships must rotate to a new monitor within 180 days, and the case must transfer to a different judge within one year. Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona introduced the bill with two Republican co-sponsors.
Transparency & Accountability
- Monitor appointment public notice — Federal courts must give public-comment opportunity before appointing a court monitor
- Monitor annual public accounting — Required reporting on services provided and fees charged, made publicly available
- Federal monitor term — Capped at 5 years per appointment with no reappointment under the same court order
- Federal court oversight continuity — Cases reassigned to a different judge after 6 years; existing 6-year monitorships must rotate within 180 days
Congressional Summary
Monitor Accountability ActThis bill requires the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to establish conditions on the appointment of monitors to oversee state and local governmental entities. A monitor is an independent official appointed to oversee corrective reforms as part of a civil settlement agreement or consent decree, such as to remedy a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing.Among the conditions, this bill requires notice and an opportunity for public comment prior to the appointment of a monitor, limits an individual to one monitor appointment at a time, sets a five-year term limit for monitors, and requires a public accounting of the fees charged and services provided by the monitor. It also caps fees and explicitly authorizes the use of pro bono services.In 2021, the Department of Justice began implementing a set of principles and specific recommendations regarding the use of monitors in civil settlement agreements and consent decrees involving state and local governmental entities, including recommendations relating to term limits, capping fees, and public accountability.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to House
- Action Date
- 2026-05-04
- Date Added
- 2026-05-12
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.