Bill to keep cell phones out of prison passes both chambers

A bill to prevent inmates from using cell phones while in prison passed the Senate by unanimous consent on Wednesday and is headed to the president for a signature.

The measure, sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) passed the House last week.

The bill will prevent inmates from using or possessing cell phones and wireless devices in federal prisons, classifying them as “contraband material.” People who attempt to provide inmates with wireless devices could face a year of jail time.

Prisoners sometimes pay as much as $1,000 to obtain cell phones while behind bars, according to law enforcement officials. One report from the California inspector general’s office said a cell phone smuggler made $150,000 in a year for getting the communications devices into prisons.

The bill arose out of concern that prisoners were using cell phones to direct criminal attacks and gang violence while incarcerated. Cell phones also allowed inmates to conduct credit-card fraud and decide territories for drug distribution, according to Feinstein.

"This is unacceptable,” she said of those possibilites after the bill passed the House. “This bill will help put an end to this criminal activity and punish those who would profit from smuggling cell phones and other wireless devices into our federal prisons.”

So far this year, authorities have discovered more than 3,200 cell phones among inmates in California prisons, according to Feinstein’s office.