HR 8416 — Prison to Proprietorship for the Formerly Incarcerated Act

Summary

The Prison to Proprietorship for the Formerly Incarcerated Act aims to help people who have been in prison start their own businesses. It provides support and resources to ease their transition into entrepreneurship after serving their time.

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in House Current html April 21, 2026

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill adds a new section to the Small Business Act to provide entrepreneurship counseling and training services for formerly incarcerated individuals.

• 15 U.S.C. 631

  SEC. 49. RE-ENTRY ENTREPRENEURSHIP COUNSELING AND TRAINING FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. (a) Services Required.--The Administrator, in coordination with the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, shall require the Service Corps of Retired Executives authorized by section (8)(b)(1) to provide entrepreneurship counseling and training services to individuals formerly incarcerated in a Federal prison (hereinafter referred to as 'covered individuals') on a nationwide basis. (b) Goal.--The goal of the services provided under this section is to provide covered individuals with the following: (1) Mentoring, workshops, and instructional videos designed specifically for covered individuals on how to start or expand a small business concern. (2) Tools, skills, and knowledge necessary to identify a business opportunity, including how to-- (A) draft a skills profile, business plan, and transition plan; (B) identify sources of capital; and (C) connect with local resources for small business concerns. (c) Additional Requirements.--The services provided under this section shall include-- (1) regular individualized mentoring sessions, to take place over the course of a year, to support the development of the business plans of covered individuals and the growth of covered individuals as entrepreneurs; (2) assistance with identifying local resources for small business concerns for covered individuals; (3) assistance with identifying sources of capital, and when appropriate, assistance with preparing applications for loans or other funding opportunities; and (4) workshops on topics specifically tailored to meet the needs of covered individuals. (d) Survey.--The Service Corps of Retired Executives shall survey covered individuals who received services under this section to assess the satisfaction of such covered individuals with such services. (e) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate a report on the performance and effectiveness of the services provided under this section, which may be included as part of another report submitted to such committees by the Administrator, and which shall include-- (1) the number of covered individuals mentored under this section; (2) the number of hours of mentorship provided by the Service Corps of Retired Executives under this section; (3) the demographics of covered individuals who received services, including age, gender, race, and ethnicity; (4) a summary and analysis of surveys conducted under subsection (d); and (5) any additional information, as determined by the Administrator.

  This establishes a new program aimed at helping formerly incarcerated individuals start and grow small businesses through tailored training and support.

• 15 U.S.C. 631

  section 49 → section 50

  This renumbers the existing section 49 to section 50 in the Small Business Act.

Action History

1. April 21, 2026

   Introduced in House

2. April 21, 2026

   Introduced in House

3. April 21, 2026

   Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.

Sponsors

• Tim Burchett · Cosponsor
• Morgan McGarvey · Primary

Subjects