The Federal Communications Commission will vote Nov. 19 on rules that would allow state and local correctional facilities to use cellphone-jamming technology against contraband devices, officials announced Wednesday after a discussion involving Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
The proposed rules would give prisons and jails the option to disrupt illegal cellphone signals. They would not require correctional facilities to use jamming equipment. The rules were scheduled to be circulated to FCC commissioners Wednesday before consideration at the agency’s November open meeting.
“Contraband cellphones allow dangerous prisoners to continue their criminal activities from behind bars, putting correctional officers and the public at risk.” — Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin
Griffin said contraband phones have been used by inmates to coordinate violent attacks, manage criminal enterprises and exploit children. He said the FCC’s planned vote would provide correctional facilities with another tool to block communications from unauthorized devices.
Arkansas officials’ role
Cotton joined Griffin and Carr for the announcement. Griffin and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders previously joined Cotton and Carr in September 2025 to announce the FCC’s plan to develop rules addressing contraband cellphones in prisons.
Later that month, Griffin led 23 states in a letter urging the FCC to authorize cellphone jamming in correctional facilities. Griffin said thousands of unauthorized cellphones have entered prisons across the country and have been used to order killings, coordinate gang activity, exploit children and facilitate criminal enterprises.
- Nov. 19: The FCC is scheduled to vote during its open meeting.
- Scope: The proposal would apply to state and local correctional facilities.
- Requirement: Facilities could use cellphone jamming but would not be required to do so.
The announcement described the proposal as a federal authorization for correctional facilities to address contraband communications. The FCC vote will determine whether the agency adopts the final rules.
