The bill amends Sections 14-6-42, 14-6-47, and 14-6-51 of the Code of Alabama 1975, focusing on the funding and management of prisoner feeding programs in county jails. Key changes include an increase in the daily state funding for feeding prisoners, which will rise from $2.25 to $3.00 over the next three years, with specific increments set for October 2024, 2025, and 2026. Additionally, the bill establishes a Prisoner Feeding Fund to manage these funds, mandates regular audits of expenditures, and allows sheriffs to use other available funds for feeding prisoners. It also clarifies that expenditures for feeding prisoners are exempt from competitive bidding laws.

Furthermore, the bill creates an Emergency Prisoner Feeding Fund, increasing its annual appropriation from $500,000 to $750,000, and outlines the process for counties to apply for emergency funding in case of unforeseen cost overruns. The maximum amount a county can receive from this fund is capped at $50,000 per year, which is 80% of the actual cost overrun. The bill also includes technical revisions to update existing legal language. The act is set to take effect on June 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 14-6-42, 14-6-47, 14-6-51
Engrossed: 14-6-42, 14-6-47, 14-6-51
Enrolled: 14-6-42, 14-6-47, 14-6-51