Senate passed bill to ban most shackles on pregnant inmates

The Senate just passed a bill to ban shackling pregnant women in prison — in most instances.

Senate Bill 2747 would require pregnant incarcerated women to be shackled only when they present a “serious and imminent” danger to corrections officers or their own safety. The bill also bans leg shackles during transportation of offenders in their third trimester, and puts into law that only one leg shackle may be used during before labor and during recover –  and that’s dependent on the woman’s correctional status — and no shackles can be used during “active labor.”

Sen. Dale Brandland said he didn’t initially support the bill, but changes made to it gave law enforcement reasonable leeway. The bill passed unanimously. It originated in the House and, because it’s been amended, now heads back to them.

Tags: pregnancy, shackles