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2022 SESSION

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SB 581 Correctional facilities, local and regional; fees charged to inmates.

Introduced by: Joseph D. Morrissey | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Local correctional facilities; fees. Directs the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the Board) to convene a work group to review and make recommendations regarding the reduction or elimination of costs and fees charged to inmates in local or regional correctional facilities, including fees related to the costs of an inmate's keep, work release, or participation in educational or rehabilitative programs; telephone services; commissaries; and electronic visitation systems. The bill requires the Board to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Public Safety and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by December 1, 2022.

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Local correctional facilities; fees. Directs the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the Board) to convene a work group to review and make recommendations regarding the reduction or elimination of costs and fees charged to inmates in local or regional correctional facilities, including fees related to the costs of an inmate's keep, work release, or participation in educational or rehabilitative programs; telephone services; commissaries; and electronic visitation systems. The bill requires the Board to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Public Safety and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by October 1, 2022.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Local correctional facilities; fees. Eliminates certain fees charged to inmates within a local correctional facility, including a fee to defray the costs associated with an inmate's keep, travel and other expenses associated with an inmate's work release employment or participation in an educational or rehabilitative program, and telephone systems. The bill also caps certain fees charged to inmates within a local correctional facility, including that the cost of items within a correctional facility's store or commissary and that the fee associated with electronic visitation and messaging systems. The bill removes provisions that if an inmate is unable to pay in full certain fees, the inmate must enter into a deferred or installment payment agreement with the local correctional facility, or that such facility may enter into a contract for collection of such fees with a private entity, a local governing body, or the county or city treasurer. The bill also provides that, upon discharge from a local correctional facility, an inmate shall receive, in the form of a check, electronic transfer, or a debit or other account card, the balance of all accounts maintained by the facility for an inmate's use.