The bill amends the existing law regarding the reimbursement process for counties holding state committed prisoners who have escaped or violated parole. It specifies that if such a prisoner is apprehended and held in a county jail awaiting disposition of their case, the Department of Corrections will reimburse the county for the actual and reasonable daily costs incurred in holding the prisoner. Notably, the previous cap of $35.00 per day for reimbursement has been removed, allowing for costs to be set by the legislature through the appropriations process. Additionally, the bill clarifies that this reimbursement does not apply to prisoners awaiting prosecution on new felony charges.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that each county must submit itemized monthly costs to the Department of Corrections, which will then determine the reasonableness of the costs and make payments accordingly. The language has been updated to reflect that the determination of reasonableness by the Department of Corrections is conclusive, ensuring a streamlined process for reimbursement. Overall, the amendments aim to provide clearer guidelines and more flexibility in the reimbursement process for counties managing state prisoners.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 800.454