What You Need to Know: Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act

A recent ruling, FCC-24-75, by the Federal Communications Commission was adopted on July 18, 2024, and will affect local inmate telephone and video visitation revenue. FCC-24-75 implements the requirements of the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act passed by Congress on December 22, 2022, and signed into law on January 5, 2023 (Martha Wright-Reed Act).

FCC-24-75 (“the order”) implements the expanded authority granted to the Commission by the Martha Wright-Reed Act to establish a compensation plan that ensures both just and reasonable rates and charges for incarcerated people’s audio and video communications services and fair compensation for incarcerated people’s communications service providers. The order reforms the regulation of incarcerated people’s communications services (IPCS) in all correctional facilities, regardless of the technology used to deliver these services, and significantly lowers the IPCS rates that incarcerated people and their loved ones will pay.

Full Summary of FCC-24-75 [3 pages]

Full Text of FCC-24-75 [467 pages]

CTAS makes the following recommendations:

• Review the act with your county attorney to ensure all actions necessary are taken to ensure compliance.
• Review historical revenue trends for inmate phone and video visitation systems for your jail.  Determine how this revenue loss will affect your county budget.  Develop a plan to address the revenue loss.
• Review your current inmate phone and video visitation systems contract(s).  
• Meet with your IPCS providers to discuss the impact and review the contract and timelines for modifications to comply with the act.
• In any contract renegotiations, define how the reimbursement for those costs that are determined to be “used and useful” will be accomplished.