HB 1053

Abstract

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.

Local correctional facilities; fees. Directs the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the Board) to convene a work group to study implementation of the reduction or elimination of certain fees associated with inmates in local correctional facilities. The bill provides that the work group shall consist of two members of the House Committee on Public Safety who are not members of the same political party and two members of the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services who are not members of the same political party. Such legislative members shall appoint as members of the work group one formerly incarcerated person, one family member of an incarcerated person, and at least one representative of certain organizations and companies. The bill directs the Board to report its findings to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services and the House Committee on Public Safety by October 1, 2022.

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 releaseemployment or participation in an educational or rehabilitative program,and telephone systems. The bill also reduces certain fees chargedto inmates within a local correctional facility, including that thecost of items within a correctional facility's store or commissaryshall not exceed 10 percent of the typical market rate for the samegoods or services, and that the fee associated with electronic visitationand messaging systems shall not exceed the actual costs of establishingand operating such systems. The bill removes provisions that if aninmate is unable to pay in full such fees, the inmate must enter intoa deferred or installment payment agreement with the local correctionalfacility, or that such facility may enter into a contract for collectionof such fees with a private entity, a local governing body, or thecounty or city treasurer. The bill also provides that, upon dischargefrom a local correctional facility, an inmate shall receive, in theform of a check, electronic transfer, or a debit or other accountcard, the balance of all accounts maintained by the facility foran inmate's use.