Monitor Accountability Act

John Kennedy

Republican · LA · Senator

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

No cosponsors on record. Bills can pass without cosponsors — this often means the sponsor introduced the bill alone, either because it's a messaging bill, a chairman's mark, or simply early in the legislative cycle.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

2026-06-24

Source: Congress.gov

Courts sometimes appoint monitors to oversee compliance with court orders, particularly in cases involving large organizations or government agencies, and this bill would establish rules and conditions for how those monitors can be appointed and operate. The legislation would likely affect businesses, government agencies, and other entities that face court-ordered monitoring, as well as the judges and monitors involved in these oversight arrangements. By setting clearer standards for monitor appointments, the bill aims to ensure these oversight processes work fairly and effectively.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4917 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4917 To provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 24, 2026 Mr. Kennedy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Monitor Accountability Act''. SEC. 2. CONDITIONS ON THE APPOINTMENT OF MONITORS BY COURTS. (a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``monitor'' means a person charged, pursuant to a court order, with monitoring the conduct of a State or unit of local government. (b) Establishment of Conditions.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Judicial Conference of the United States shall by rule establish conditions on the appointment by a district court of the United States of a monitor. (c) Contents.--The conditions on the appointment of a monitor established under subsection (b) shall include the following: (1) Fees.--A monitor-- (A) may not assess a fee in excess of such maximum rates as the Judicial Conference of the United States may establish; and (B) may employ the use of pro bono time or reduced rates. (2) Exclusivity and term.--A person shall not be-- (A) appointed to more than one monitorship at a time; (B) appointed as a monitor for a term greater than 5 years; or (C) reappointed as a monitor after the expiration of such term pursuant to the same court order. (3) Subsequent monitors.--A 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 comment.--Prior 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) Revision.--If a court, a party, or a monitor seeks to revise a monitorship, the court shall conduct a hearing; and (B) Scope of monitorship.--The 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. (d) Transfer.--If a monitorship is in effect on the date that is 6 years after the date of the court order imposing the monitorship, the case shall be transferred to another judge in the district in which the case is pending. (e) Accounting.-- (1) In general.--On 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 fees charged for such services; and (B) whether any such services were provided pro bono or at a reduced rate. (2) Publication.--A court shall make available to the public any accounting submitted to the court under paragraph (1). (f) Retroactivity.--In 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 on which the rule required under subsection (b) is finalized, 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. (g) Sense of Congress.--It 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. <all>

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