A bill to reduce the burden on the Federal courts of prisoners' suits brought under section 1983 of title 43, United States Code, to improve the administration of State institutions holding confined persons.

Authorizes the Attorney General to institute a civil action for or in the name of the United States in an appropriate district court whenever he has reasonable cause to believe that a State or its agents are subjecting persons involuntarily confined in any correctional facility, juvenile correction center, mental hospital, nursing home, or facility for the chronically ill, retarded, or physically handicapped to conditions which deprive such persons of their Federal Constitutional or Statutory rights.

Permits the Attorney General to intervene in any action of public importance commenced in a Federal court in which relief is sought from conditions allegedly depriving involuntarily confined persons in State institutions of their Federal rights.

Prohibits an individual who is involuntarily confined in a State institution from bringing a district court action under 42 U.S.C. 1983 unless speedy and efficient State administrative remedies have been exhausted.