Family Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act of 2025

Timely Notification of Family Members: The bill requires detention agencies to notify contacts of a death within 12 hours and of serious injuries or illnesses within 48 hours, ensuring families are not left waiting indefinitely (Section 4(b)(2)).

Standardized Information Sharing: Families will receive specific details during notifications, such as the official time of death, the cause of death, and whether an investigation is underway, which helps provide clarity during a crisis (Section 4(b)(2)(i)).

Preserving Human Dignity and Reducing Trauma: By establishing standards for compassionate and professional notifications—including the option for in-person or virtual meetings—the bill seeks to minimize the psychological trauma experienced by grieving relatives (Section 4(b)(2)(E)).

Empowering Medical Decision-Making: The bill allows individuals in custody to provide emergency contact information and establish medical proxies, advanced directives, or "do not resuscitate" orders, ensuring their medical wishes are considered (Section 4(b)(1)(A) and 4(b)(6)(A)).

Access to Critical Information: The act requires that if an autopsy is performed, the next-of-kin must be notified and provided the opportunity to receive the autopsy report and results (Section 4(b)(7)).

Accountability through Oversight: The creation of a Department of Justice Ombudsman allows individuals to report and investigate failures in notification or inadequate communication (Section 4(d)(4)).