What it is
Bill would make prison officers agents of the authority
It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 26 April 2024. Introduced by: Senado.
Official title: Private Member's Organic Bill to amend Organic Law 1/1979, of September 26, General Penitentiary, to recognize the status of agents of the authority to prison officers in the exercise of their duties.
Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 124/000009· updated 11 Nov
Automatic summary, not yet reviewed
- The bill would amend Article 80 of the General Penitentiary Law to give prison officers the status of agents of the authority for all legal purposes. They could identify themselves with their professional registration number, and their reports would be presumed truthful unless proven otherwise.
- If someone commits the crime of attacking these officers in a way that seriously endangers their physical integrity, they would receive criminal protection as if they were authority figures, the same as the State law enforcement forces.
- A new section would be added so that, if a prison officer is detained or imprisoned, they would be kept separate from other inmates, including during escorted transfers.
- The bill is drafted as an organic law A law on fundamental rights, the electoral system or other matters the Constitution reserves. It needs an absolute majority in the Congreso: 176 votes. and relies on the State's exclusive power over penitentiary legislation. It would take effect the day after its publication in the official state gazette.
Who it affects
- Prison officers: They would be considered agents of the authority and would have greater criminal and physical protection.
- Inmates and detained persons: They would live with officers whose authority is recognized by law.
- Penitentiary administration: It would need qualified staff with specific training before starting their duties.
Words worth knowing
- Agente de la autoridad (agent of the authority)
- A person the law grants public authority, such as a police officer, with reinforced criminal protection.
- Delito de atentado (crime of attacking an officer)
- Using force against or resisting an agent of the authority while they perform their duties.
- Presunción de veracidad (presumption of truthfulness)
- What the officer states in their reports is taken as true unless someone proves otherwise.
- Ley orgánica (organic law)
- A special type of Spanish law, reserved for major matters, requiring heightened majorities in Congress.
- organic law
- A law on fundamental rights, the electoral system or other matters the Constitution reserves. It needs an absolute majority in the Congreso: 176 votes.
It summarizes the text as it was introduced. 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 3 of 7 steps. It reached Amendments, and today it is unfinished.
- Introduced26 April 2024Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
- Admitted30 April 2024The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
- Amendments6 May 2024Groups propose changes.
- Committeenot reachedA committee goes through the text in detail.
- Plenarynot reachedAll 350 deputies vote.
- Senatenot reachedThe Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
- BOEnot reachedIt is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 5 official steps on a timeline
Was there a plenary vote?
We have no plenary vote linked to this law in the Congreso’s data.
What happens next
What happens now?
The legislature ended before it finished. To go on, someone would have to introduce it again in the new Cortes.
It has not been presented again yet.
Sources
Where does all this come from?
- Congreso de los Diputados, file 124/000009
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
- 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.