This bill establishes a surcharge on inmate phone calls to help cover the costs associated with security needs related to inmate communications. The General Assembly finds that the Secretary of the Department of Corrections is authorized to implement this surcharge, which will be used to offset expenses for equipment and operations necessary for maintaining security during inmate communications. Additionally, county sheriffs are also granted the authority to assess a similar surcharge for calls made from county jails.

The bill amends existing laws to ensure that the funds collected from these surcharges are specifically allocated for security-related expenses. It stipulates that the Department of Corrections and county sheriffs will determine the surcharge amounts in consultation with relevant state agencies and with the approval of the Governor. The collected surcharges will be deposited into designated funds, ensuring that the revenue is used solely for the intended security purposes.

Statutes affected:
HB 1953: 12-27-128, 12-29-119, 12-41-105