Justice is BLIND Act of 2026
Latest action (20 Jul 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
S. 5032, the "Justice is BLIND Act of 2026," would amend federal law governing judicial ethics to require federal justices and judges—including Supreme Court justices, district and circuit judges, magistrate judges, and bankruptcy judges—along with their spouses and dependent children, to place certain financial holdings into "qualified blind trusts." Covered holdings include interests in securities, commodities, futures, and comparable derivative-based interests, but exclude diversified mutual funds, U.S. Treasury securities, and a spouse's or child's employment compensation. Judges would have 90 days after enactment (or after taking office, for future appointees) to place these assets in trust, and could not dissolve the trust or otherwise control the assets until 180 days after leaving judicial service.
The bill affects all sitting and future federal judges and their immediate families who hold qualifying investments. It also requires judges to file written attestations confirming either that a blind trust has been established or that they hold no covered financial interests, and directs the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to publish these attestations on the existing public ethics-disclosure database. The bill also clarifies that judges' standard "reasonable effort" to know their financial interests, used in recusal decisions, does not require them to track the specific holdings inside a blind trust beyond its initial assets.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on July 20, 2026, by Senator Adam Schiff, cosponsored by Senator Blumenthal, and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. It has not yet received a committee vote, floor consideration, or further action.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. It was introduced into Congress on July 20, 2026. It will typically be considered by committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
Common questions
- What does S. 5032 do?
- S. 5032, the "Justice is BLIND Act of 2026," would amend federal law governing judicial ethics to require federal justices and judges—including Supreme Court justices, district and circuit judges, magistrate judges, and bankruptcy judges—along with their spouses and dependent children, to place certain financial holdings into "qualified blind trusts." Covered holdings include interests in securities, commodities, futures, and comparable derivative-based interests, but exclude diversified mutual funds, U.S. Treasury securities, and a spouse's or child's employment compensation. Judges would have 90 days after enactment (or after taking office, for future appointees) to place these assets in trust, and could not dissolve the trust or otherwise control the assets until 180 days after leaving judicial service. The bill affects all sitting and future federal judges and their immediate families who hold qualifying investments. It also requires judges to file written attestations confirming either that a blind trust has been established or that they hold no covered financial interests, and directs the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to publish these attestations on the existing public ethics-disclosure database. The bill also clarifies that judges' standard "reasonable effort" to know their financial interests, used in recusal decisions, does not require them to track the specific holdings inside a blind trust beyond its initial assets. The bill was introduced in the Senate on July 20, 2026, by Senator Adam Schiff, cosponsored by Senator Blumenthal, and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. It has not yet received a committee vote, floor consideration, or further action.
- Has S. 5032 become law?
- Not yet. As of 20 Jul 2026, S. 5032 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 5032?
- S. 5032 was sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff [D-CA] (Democrat-CA), with 2 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 5032?
- Introduced (20 Jul 2026).
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