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, starting from October 1, 2024. Additionally, the bill establishes a Prisoner Feeding Fund in each sheriff's office, requiring the sheriff to maintain records of all payments and expenditures, which will be subject to regular audits. The bill also allows sheriffs to use funds from various sources for feeding prisoners and exempts these expenditures from competitive bidding laws.

Furthermore, the bill creates an Emergency Prisoner Feeding Fund, increasing its annual appropriation from $500,000 to $750,000, and sets a cap of $1,000,000 for total accumulated funds. It outlines the process for counties to apply for emergency funding in case of unforeseen cost overruns, stipulating that a county commission may receive up to 80% of the actual cost overrun, capped at $50,000 per year. 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