Monitor Accountability Act

119 HR 8365 EH: Monitor Accountability Act U.S. House of Representatives text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. IB 119th CONGRESS2d Session H. R. 8365

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Monitor Accountability Act.

2.Conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts (a)In generalNot later than 180 days after the effective date of this section, the Judicial Conference of the United States shall by rule establish conditions on the appointment by a district court of the United States of any person charged, pursuant to a court order, with monitoring the conduct of a State or unit of local government. Such conditions shall include the following: (1)FeesSuch person— (A)may not assess a fee in excess of such maximum rates as the Judicial Conference of the United States may establish; and (B)shall be authorized to employ the use of pro bono time or reduced rates. (2)Exclusivity and termSuch person may not be— (A)appointed to more than one such monitorship at a time; (B)appointed for a term greater than 5 years; or (C)reappointed after the expiration of such term pursuant to the same court order. (3)Subsequent monitorsA monitor who is appointed to a monitorship after the expiration of the term of a monitor who served pursuant to the same court order may not be employed by the same employer as the previous monitor. (4)Public commentPrior to the appointment of a monitor, the court shall provide notice of the person to be appointed and afford the public an opportunity for comment thereon. (5)Termination (A)RevisionIn the case that a court, a party, or a monitor seeks to revise a monitorship imposed by a court order, the court shall conduct a hearing. (B)Scope of monitorshipThe court may only revise a requirement of a monitorship with respect to which the subject of the monitorship has not attained substantial and sustained compliance. (b)TransferOn the date that is 6 years after the court order imposing a monitorship, if such monitorship is in effect on such date, the case shall be transferred to another judge in the district in which the case is pending. (c)Accounting (1)In generalOn an annual basis, a monitor shall submit to the court imposing the monitorship an accounting, which shall include— (A)information on the services provided and the fee charged for such services; and (B)whether any such services were provided pro bono or at a reduced rate. (2)PublicationThe court shall make available to the public any accounting submitted to the court under paragraph (1). (d)RetroactivityIn the case of a monitorship that is in effect on the date of enactment of this Act and has been in effect for 6 years— (1)a new monitor shall be appointed not later than 180 days after such date of enactment in accordance with the limitations under this section; and (2)the case shall be transferred not later than 1 year after such date of enactment in accordance with this section. (e)Sense of CongressIt is the sense of Congress that monitoring is a public service and monitorships should be structured to encourage the use of pro bono time or reduced rates. Passed the House of Representatives May 14, 2026.Kevin F. McCumber,Clerk.

119 HR 8365 IH: Monitor Accountability Act of 2026 U.S. House of Representatives 2026-04-20 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I119th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 8365IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESApril 20, 2026Mr. Biggs of Arizona (for himself, Mr. Fry, and Mr. Nehls) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryA BILLTo provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Monitor Accountability Act of 2026.

2.Conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts (a)In generalNot later than 90 days after the effective date of this section, the Administrator of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall by rule establish conditions on the appointment by a district court of the United States of any person charged, pursuant to a court order, with monitoring the conduct of a State or unit of local government. Such conditions shall include the following: (1)FeesSuch person— (A)may not assess a fee in excess of such maximum rates as the Administrator may establish; and (B)shall be authorized to employ the use of pro bono time or reduced rates. (2)Exclusivity and termSuch person may not be— (A)appointed to more than one such monitorship at a time; (B)appointed for a term greater than 5 years; or (C)reappointed after the expiration of such term pursuant to the same court order. (3)Subsequent monitorsA monitor who is appointed to a monitorship after the expiration of the term of a monitor who served pursuant to the same court order may not be employed by the same employer as the previous monitor. (4)Public commentPrior to the appointment of a monitor, the court shall provide notice of the person to be appointed and afford the public an opportunity for comment thereon. (5)Termination (A)RevisionIn the case that a court, a party, or a monitor seeks to revise a monitorship imposed by a court order, the court shall conduct a hearing. (B)Scope of monitorshipThe court may only revise a requirement of a monitorship with respect to which the subject of the monitorship has not attained substantial and sustained compliance. (b)TransferOn the date that is 6 years after the court order imposing a monitorship, if such monitorship is in effect on such date, the case shall be transferred to another judge in the district in which the case is pending. (c)Accounting (1)In generalOn an annual basis, a monitor shall submit to the court imposing the monitorship an accounting, which shall include— (A)information on the services provided and the fee charged for such services; and (B)whether any such services were provided pro bono or at a reduced rate. (2)PublicationThe court shall make available to the public any accounting submitted to the court under paragraph (1). (d)RetroactivityIn the case of a monitorship that is in effect on the date of enactment of this Act and has been in effect for 6 years— (1)a new monitor shall be appointed not later than 180 days after such date of enactment in accordance with the limitations under this section; and (2)the case shall be transferred not later than 1 year after such date of enactment in accordance with this section. (e)Sense of CongressIt is the sense of Congress that monitoring is a public service and monitorships should be structured to encourage the use of pro bono time or reduced rates.

119 HR 8365 : Monitor Accountability Act U.S. House of Representatives 2026-05-18 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. IIB119th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 8365IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMay 18, 2026Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryAN ACTTo provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Monitor Accountability Act.2.Conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts(a)In generalNot later than 180 days after the effective date of this section, the Judicial Conference of the United States shall by rule establish conditions on the appointment by a district court of the United States of any person charged, pursuant to a court order, with monitoring the conduct of a State or unit of local government. Such conditions shall include the following:(1)FeesSuch person—(A)may not assess a fee in excess of such maximum rates as the Judicial Conference of the United States may establish; and(B)shall be authorized to employ the use of pro bono time or reduced rates.(2)Exclusivity and termSuch person may not be—(A)appointed to more than one such monitorship at a time;(B)appointed for a term greater than 5 years; or(C)reappointed after the expiration of such term pursuant to the same court order.(3)Subsequent monitorsA monitor who is appointed to a monitorship after the expiration of the term of a monitor who served pursuant to the same court order may not be employed by the same employer as the previous monitor.(4)Public commentPrior to the appointment of a monitor, the court shall provide notice of the person to be appointed and afford the public an opportunity for comment thereon.(5)Termination(A)RevisionIn the case that a court, a party, or a monitor seeks to revise a monitorship imposed by a court order, the court shall conduct a hearing.(B)Scope of monitorshipThe court may only revise a requirement of a monitorship with respect to which the subject of the monitorship has not attained substantial and sustained compliance.(b)TransferOn the date that is 6 years after the court order imposing a monitorship, if such monitorship is in effect on such date, the case shall be transferred to another judge in the district in which the case is pending.(c)Accounting(1)In generalOn an annual basis, a monitor shall submit to the court imposing the monitorship an accounting, which shall include—(A)information on the services provided and the fee charged for such services; and(B)whether any such services were provided pro bono or at a reduced rate.(2)PublicationThe court shall make available to the public any accounting submitted to the court under paragraph (1).(d)RetroactivityIn the case of a monitorship that is in effect on the date of enactment of this Act and has been in effect for 6 years—(1)a new monitor shall be appointed not later than 180 days after such date of enactment in accordance with the limitations under this section; and(2)the case shall be transferred not later than 1 year after such date of enactment in accordance with this section.(e)Sense of CongressIt is the sense of Congress that monitoring is a public service and monitorshipsshould be structured to encourage the use of pro bono time or reduced rates. Passed the House of Representatives May 14, 2026.Kevin F. McCumber,Clerk.

119 HR 8365 RH: Monitor Accountability Act U.S. House of Representatives 2026-05-04 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. IBUnion Calendar No. 551119th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 8365[Report No. 119–635]IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESApril 20, 2026Mr. Biggs of Arizona (for himself, Mr. Fry, and Mr. Nehls) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryMay 4, 2026Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printedStrike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italicFor text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 20, 2026A BILLTo provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Monitor Accountability Act.2.Conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts(a)In generalNot later than 180 days after the effective date of this section, the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall by rule establish conditions on the appointment by a district court of the United States of any person charged, pursuant to a court order, with monitoring the conduct of a State or unit of local government. Such conditions shall include the following:(1)FeesSuch person—(A)may not assess a fee in excess of such maximum rates as the Administrator may establish; and(B)shall be authorized to employ the use of pro bono time or reduced rates.(2)Exclusivity and termSuch person may not be—(A)appointed to more than one such monitorship at a time;(B)appointed for a term greater than 5 years; or(C)reappointed after the expiration of such term pursuant to the same court order.(3)Subsequent monitorsA monitor who is appointed to a monitorship after the expiration of the term of a monitor who served pursuant to the same court order may not be employed by the same employer as the previous monitor.(4)Public commentPrior to the appointment of a monitor, the court shall provide notice of the person to be appointed and afford the public an opportunity for comment thereon.(5)Termination(A)RevisionIn the case that a court, a party, or a monitor seeks to revise a monitorship imposed by a court order, the court shall conduct a hearing.(B)Scope of monitorshipThe court may only revise a requirement of a monitorship with respect to which the subject of the monitorship has not attained substantial and sustained compliance.(b)TransferOn the date that is 6 years after the court order imposing a monitorship, if such monitorship is in effect on such date, the case shall be transferred to another judge in the district in which the case is pending.(c)Accounting(1)In generalOn an annual basis, a monitor shall submit to the court imposing the monitorship an accounting, which shall include—(A)information on the services provided and the fee charged for such services; and(B)whether any such services were provided pro bono or at a reduced rate.(2)PublicationThe court shall make available to the public any accounting submitted to the court under paragraph (1).(d)RetroactivityIn the case of a monitorship that is in effect on the date of enactment of this Act and has been in effect for 6 years—(1)a new monitor shall be appointed not later than 180 days after such date of enactment in accordance with the limitations under this section; and(2)the case shall be transferred not later than 1 year after such date of enactment in accordance with this section.(e)Sense of CongressIt is the sense of Congress that monitoring is a public service and monitorships should be structured to encourage the use of pro bono time or reduced rates. May 4, 2026Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed