H.R. 5540 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on the Judiciary, Sep 19, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryIncreases damages for wrongly convicted people
When someone is unjustly convicted and sent to prison, and later proven innocent, they may be eligible for compensation. This bill raises the maximum amount of money they can receive and ensures that amount grows each year to keep up with inflation, so the compensation stays meaningful over time.
How it affects you
If you were wrongly convicted and imprisoned, this bill directly affects you by potentially increasing the amount of compensation you could receive when exonerated. For most other people, this change has no direct effect on daily life, though it does reflect how the justice system compensates those who've experienced wrongful conviction.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Sep 19, 2025)
Justice for Exonerees Act
This bill increases the maximum amount of damages that an individual who was unjustly convicted and incarcerated may be awarded and requires that this amount be adjusted annually for inflation.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 5540
A BILL
Justice for Exonerees Act
Sponsor: Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) · Introduced Sep 19, 2025 · Law · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Sep 19, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.”