What it is

Bill would make prison officers agents of the authority

BOE step 7 of 7

It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 17 April 2024. Introduced by: Grupo Parlamentario Socialista.

Official title: Private member's bill for an Organic Law amending Article 80 of Organic Law 1/1979, of September 26, General Penitentiary, to recognize, for legal purposes, the status of authority agents for staff of the Penitentiary Administration.

Follow this law

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000088· updated 11 Nov

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

The text approved by the full Congress proposes that officials of the Prison Administration have the status of agents of the authority in all their work. They could identify themselves with their professional registration number in administrative and court proceedings.
In disciplinary proceedings, reports by officials who witnessed the events would be sufficient grounds for the decision, unless there is evidence to the contrary.
The Administration would have to compensate officials for personal or material damage suffered on duty, if there was no intent, fault or gross negligence. This protection, and separation from other inmates if they are imprisoned, would also apply to civilian staff.
The changes to disciplinary proceedings would only apply to those started after the law takes effect, the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette.

Who it affects

Officials of the Prison Administration: Would have the status of agents of the authority and could be compensated for damage suffered on duty.
Civilian staff at prisons: Would have the same criminal protection as officials and could be compensated for damage suffered on duty.
Prison Administration: Would have to financially compensate officials for damage caused without intent, fault or gross negligence.

Words worth knowing

Agente de la autoridad: A person with public authority, such as a police officer, whose word and actions carry special legal weight.
Principio de indemnidad: The principle that the Administration must pay for damage an employee suffers while doing their job, if the employee acted without intent or gross fault.
Dolo: Acting with intent to cause harm or knowingly do something illegal.
Expediente disciplinario: A disciplinary proceeding used to sanction a public employee who failed to meet their duties.

It summarizes the text passed by the full Congreso. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries

Where it stands

How far did it get?

It took 6 of 7 steps. It reached BOE.

Introduced17 April 2024Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
Admitted24 April 2024The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
Amendments28 June 2024Groups propose changes.
Committee26 September 2024A committee goes through the text in detail.
Plenary21 May 2026All 350 deputies vote.
Senate11 June 2026The Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
BOE1 October 2026It is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.

See the 13 official steps on a timeline

11 June 2026

How did the plenary vote?

More votes in favour 323 yes · 21 no · 2 abst.

Voted on: Overall vote on the Organic Private member's bill amending article eighty of Organic Law 1/1979, of 26 September, General Penitentiary, to recognize, for legal purposes, the status of agents of the authority to the officials of the Penitentiary Administration (formerly known as Organic Private member's bill amending article 80 of Organic Law 1/1979, of 26 September, General Penitentiary, to recognize, for legal purposes, the status of agents of the authority to the officials of the Penitentiary Institutions), given its organic nature.

This law had 5 votes; this is the latest with every deputy’s vote. See them all

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, vote 39 of sitting 185· updated 10 Nov

Each dot is a seat. Tap one, or use the arrow keys, to see who it is.

Your province

How did the deputies from your province vote?

And your senators: the Senate does not link its votes to this law in its open data, so we cannot put them side by side here.

Or see how most of each province voted

More details: how each group and each province voted

The groups

Who voted in favour and who against?

In favour, most of Plurinacional SUMAR, Socialista, Vasco (EAJ-PNV), Junts per Catalunya, Popular en el Congreso and VOX. Against, most of Euskal Herria Bildu, Republicano and Mixto. 7 deputies voted differently from their group.

By province: in 52 most voted in favour; in 0, against.

Coloured by how most of each province’s deputies voted.

In favour: 52
Against: 0

Result by parliamentary group
Group	Seats	How it voted
Euskal Herria Bildu	6	6 against
Plurinacional SUMAR	26	21 in favour · 2 against · 1 abst. · 2 did not vote
Republicano	7	7 against
Socialista	121	120 in favour · 1 against
Vasco (EAJ-PNV)	5	5 in favour
Junts per Catalunya	7	7 in favour
Mixto	8	2 in favour · 5 against · 1 abst.
Popular en el Congreso	137	135 in favour · 2 did not vote
VOX	33	33 in favour

What happens next

What happens now?

It is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.

The same initiative in the other chamber:

XV Legislature, Senate Private member's bill for an Organic Law amending Article 80 of Organic Law 1/1979, of September 26, General Penitentiary, to recognize, for legal purposes, the status of authority agents for staff of the Penitentiary Administration.

Sources

Where does all this come from?

Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000088
Official title, type, author, dates and stage.

Retrieved 11 November 2026
Congreso de los Diputados, procedure
The date of each step, with its official wording.

Retrieved 12 November 2026
Congreso de los Diputados, vote 39 of sitting 185
The count and every seat’s vote.

Retrieved 10 November 2026

The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.

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