Prison call costs may soon be capped

What they're saying: FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the agency has sought to address the problem for years and will now have the authority to "close this glaring, painful, and detrimental loophole in our phones rate rules for incarcerated people."

• "Too many families of incarcerated people must pay outrageous rates to stay connected with their loved ones. This harms the families and children of the incarcerated — and it harms all of us because regular contact with kin can reduce recidivism," she said in a statement.
• The White House did not immediately return Axios' request for comment and has not indicated whether Biden will sign the bill into law.

Background: The fees incarcerated people and their loved ones are charged for calls vary by state but involve the phone provider offering prisons and local governments kickbacks, per the Verge.

• The FCC capped interstate rates on calls in 2013, lowering the rate from $17 to $3.75 for a 15-minute call.

Of note: The cost of phone calls in prisons generates $1.4 billion a year and disproportionately affects women and people of color.

• The price of calls is the most significant barrier to family contact during incarceration, the Prison Policy Initiative found.
• About one in three families go into debt to pay for phone calls or visitation.