President Bush on September 4, 2003 signed into law the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 unanimously passed by Congress on July 24, 2003 (Senate) and July 25, 2003). [N/R]
     Congress passes new federal statute: the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. [2003 JB Sep]
     238:147 Federal Prison Litigation Reform Act becomes law, makes numerous changes in prison litigation, including scope of injunctive orders, standards for termination of injunctive orders, amount of attorneys' fees, standard for prisoner release orders in overcrowding cases, prisoner payment of filing fees and court costs, barring inmates who repetitively file frivolous suits from further filings, no awards for mental/emotional distress in the absence of physical injury, and revocation of federal prisoner's good time credits if they file malicious lawsuits or testify falsely, among other highlights.
     New U.S. law bars prisoners from receiving federal court witness daily attendance fees. H.R. 2324, Public Law 102-417, the Incarcerated Witness Fees Act.