Second Opportunity & Community Reintegration Act of 2027

Empowering Accountability, Renewal, and Redemption

A BILL

To reduce recidivism, strengthen public safety, expand workforce participation, support successful community reintegration through faith-inspired second chances, and promote accountability and opportunity for individuals impacted by the criminal justice system, 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 “Second Opportunity & Community Reintegration Act of 2027.”

SECTION 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

1. Over 600,000 individuals are released from federal and state correctional facilities each year, per U.S. Department of Justice statistics.

2. A significant percentage of formerly incarcerated individuals face barriers to lawful employment, housing, education, and healthcare.

3. Employment, stable housing, and access to treatment are among the strongest predictors of reduced recidivism, as evidenced by the First Step Act's 9.7% recidivism rate for beneficiaries versus 46.2% baseline.

4. High recidivism rates impose substantial costs on taxpayers—e.g., Texas's 16.9% rate costs $585 million annually—and undermine public safety.

5. Faith-based, nonprofit, and community organizations play a critical role in successful reentry, embodying principles of redemption and renewal central to Christian faith and second chances.

6. Accountability, rehabilitation, and opportunity are complementary pillars of justice, building on the Second Chance Act (Senate-passed reauthorization through 2030 via October 2025 NDAA amendment, pending House action), First Step Implementation Act (introduced December 2025), and Safer Supervision Act (introduced October 2025).

7. Veterans and youth (ages 18–25) warrant targeted support, given higher reform potential per brain science and veteran service needs.

8. Technological innovations like AI, blockchain, and neural therapy can enhance efficiency while safeguarding privacy and rights.

SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act:

Term

Definition

Returning citizen

An individual released from incarceration in a federal, state, or local correctional facility.

Eligible individual

A returning citizen or justice-impacted individual who: (a) has completed their term of incarceration or diversion program; (b) is not convicted of a disqualifying violent offense (per 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) for firearms-related violence or FBI Uniform Crime Reporting violent crime categories), sex offense (per 18 U.S.C. Chapter 109A), or three or more felonies; (c) demonstrates cultural competency compliance in programs; and (d) fulfills victim restitution via enforceable protocols, including crypto wallets for traceable payments with clawbacks for non-compliance.

Qualified employer

An employer that hires eligible individuals in compliance with federal and state law, including small business mentorship programs, and receives liability shields from negligent hiring claims for non-violent hires.

Community-based organization

Includes nonprofit, faith-based, and local service providers engaged in reentry support; excludes for-profit prisons from grant eligibility.

SECTION 4. PILLAR OF SKILLS & SUSTAINABILITY: WORKFORCE REENTRY & EMPLOYMENT INCENTIVES.

(a) Federal Second Opportunity Hiring Credit

1. A refundable federal tax credit shall be provided to qualified employers who hire eligible individuals.

2. The credit shall equal up to $6,000 per eligible individual, phased as 50 percent after 6 months and 50 percent after 12 months of employment.

3. Sunset.—This credit expires after fiscal year 2032, subject to Department of Justice renewal based on evaluation.

(b) Skills & Credentialing Programs

1. The Department of Labor shall expand access to industry-recognized credentials, apprenticeships, workforce training (including tech/coding and green job pipelines via renewables partnerships), and veteran-specific mentorship prior to and following release.

2. Programs shall include cultural competency training to address diversity and reduce bias.

3. Federal preemption.—Override state occupational licensing barriers for non-violent returnees to facilitate interstate mobility.

(c) Phased Incentives Table

Phase

Incentive

Outcome Target

Pre-Release

VR-simulated job training

90% completion rate

Post-Release

Micro-grants for startups

20% self-employment boost

Long-Term

AI-matched mentorship

10% below state recidivism

SECTION 5. PILLAR OF FAITH & FAMILY: HOUSING STABILITY & TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT.

1. The Department of Housing and Urban Development shall expand transitional housing grants for returning citizens, with anti-discrimination protections for providers.

2. Funds may be used for temporary housing, reentry case management, transportation assistance, family reunification services, and eviction prevention counseling (reducing recidivism risk by 25%).

3. Participation shall require compliance with program rules and case plans, including data sharing with state entities like Texas's Reentry Task Force.

SECTION 6. PILLAR OF ACCOUNTABILITY & ASSESSMENT: RECORD RELIEF & REINTEGRATION.

1. Eligible individuals convicted of non-violent offenses may petition for record sealing or expungement after a five-year period of lawful conduct post-release, with proof of steady employment or education.

2. No relief shall be automatic; judicial review, victim notification, and federal overrides for low-level state records (for interstate movers) shall apply.

3. Blockchain-secured platforms shall implement tamper-proof, opt-in blockchain systems with encryption for record verification, ensuring privacy via user consent and minimizing third-party access.

SECTION 7. MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE, & ACCOUNTABILITY SERVICES.

1. The Department of Justice shall expand grants for substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, trauma-informed care (including neural tech pilots for voluntary therapy, halving recidivism drivers), and youth-specific tracks (ages 18–25).

2. Participation may be required as a condition of reentry support, aligned with Bipartisan Safer Communities Act funding.

3. AI-driven risk tools shall mandate 85 percent accurate AI assessments for parole and supervision to target high-risk cases.

SECTION 8. COMMUNITY & FAITH-BASED PARTNERSHIPS.

1. Federal agencies may award grants to qualified community-based and faith-based organizations without discrimination based on religious affiliation.

2. Such organizations shall uphold constitutional protections, provide voluntary participation, and receive outcome-based bonuses (e.g., additional funding for 80 percent employment placement).

SECTION 9. PUBLIC SAFETY & LAW ENFORCEMENT COORDINATION.

1. Nothing in this Act shall limit the authority of law enforcement.

2. Programs funded under this Act shall prioritize risk assessment, supervision compliance, community safety outcomes, and pilots in high-need districts.

SECTION 10. REPORTING & OVERSIGHT.

1. The Attorney General shall submit an annual report to Congress detailing program participation, employment outcomes, recidivism rates (targeting a 15 percent reduction from baselines), cost savings via cost-benefit analysis, and racial disparity metrics.

2. Programs failing to demonstrate effectiveness may be modified or terminated.

3. Biennial GAO audits shall require independent audits every two years to sunset ineffective grants and maintain public dashboards for real-time outcome tracking.

SECTION 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated not more than $400,000,000 per fiscal year as may be necessary to carry out this Act for fiscal years 2027 through 2032.

SECTION 12. SEVERABILITY.

If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the Act and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.

SECTION 13. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act shall take effect January 3, 2027, following the commencement of the 120th Congress.

Legislative Proposal Disclaimer

The policies and legislative proposals presented on this website reflect the goals, ideas, and priorities of Oxford C.F. Nordberg as a candidate for public office. These proposals are conceptual and subject to revision, legislative process, legal review, and constitutional constraints.
Nothing on this website should be interpreted as enacted law, legal advice, or a guarantee of legislative outcome. Any proposed legislation would require debate, amendment, and approval through the appropriate legislative bodies.

References to budgets, outcomes, timelines, or enforcement mechanisms are illustrative and intended to communicate policy intent, not final statutory language.

Legislative Proposal Disclaimer

The policies and legislative proposals presented on this website reflect the goals, ideas, and priorities of Oxford C.F. Nordberg as a candidate for public office. These proposals are conceptual and subject to revision, legislative process, legal review, and constitutional constraints.
Nothing on this website should be interpreted as enacted law, legal advice, or a guarantee of legislative outcome. Any proposed legislation would require debate, amendment, and approval through the appropriate legislative bodies.

References to budgets, outcomes, timelines, or enforcement mechanisms are illustrative and intended to communicate policy intent, not final statutory language.