As Introduced
135th General Assembly
Regular Session S. B. No. 333
2023-2024
Senators Blessing, Ingram
A BILL
To enact sections 341.43, 753.34, 5120.052, and 1
5139.132 of the Revised Code to require voice 2
communication services for inmates, delinquent 3
children, and youthful offenders, and to make an 4
appropriation. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 341.43, 753.34, 5120.052, and 6
5139.132 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows: 7
Sec. 341.43. (A) As used in this section: 8
(1) "County correctional facility" means a county jail, 9
county workhouse, minimum security jail, joint city and county 10
workhouse, municipal-county correctional center, multicounty- 11
municipal correctional center, municipal-county jail or 12
workhouse, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse. 13
(2) "Voice communication service" and "voice communication 14
device" have the same meanings as in section 5120.052 of the 15
Revised Code. 16
(B) Each county correctional facility shall provide 17
inmates confined in the facility with voice communication 18
S. B. No. 333 Page 2
As Introduced
service. A facility may supplement voice communication service 19
with additional communication services including video 20
communication and electronic mail or messaging services. 21
(C) Access to voice communication service, and other 22
supplemental communication services, if applicable, shall not be 23
limited beyond program participation and routine facility 24
procedures. 25
(D) Voice communication service, and other supplemental 26
communication services, if applicable, shall be provided free of 27
charge to both the person initiating and the person receiving 28
the communication. 29
(E) Each facility shall maintain a minimum ratio of one 30
operable voice communication device in each housing or 31
recreational yard to every ten people housed in the facility, 32
and a minimum of two voice communication devices in each housing 33
unit. 34
(F) A facility shall not receive revenue from the 35
provision of voice communication services, or any other 36
communication services, to any person confined or housed in the 37
facility. 38
(G) Voice communication services, or any other 39
communication service, shall not be used to replace any in- 40
person visitation program. 41
(H) No state or local agency shall receive revenue from 42
the provision of voice communication services or any other 43
communication services to any person confined in a county 44
correctional facility. 45
(I) Each county correctional facility shall report the 46
following information within ninety days after the effective 47
S. B. No. 333 Page 3
As Introduced
date of this section, and within ninety days after the end of 48
each fiscal year thereafter, to the general assembly: 49
(1) A copy of all contracts for voice communication 50
services or other supplemental communication services, if 51
applicable, along with a summary of the rates and fees being 52
paid by the facility or charged to users for each service 53
provided through the contracts; 54
(2) A complete and detailed accounting of how 55
legislatively appropriated funds for voice communication 56
services or other supplemental communication services, if 57
applicable, were spent, including spending on expenses 58
previously covered by commissions; 59
(3) Data on usage of all voice communication services or 60
other supplemental communication services, if applicable, 61
including monthly call and message volume. 62
Sec. 753.34. (A) As used in this section: 63
(1) "Municipal correctional facility" means a municipal 64
jail, municipal workhouse, minimum security jail, joint city and 65
county workhouse, municipal-county correctional center, 66
multicounty-municipal correctional center, municipal-county jail 67
or workhouse, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse. 68
(2) "Voice communication service" and "voice communication 69
device" have the same meanings as in section 5120.052 of the 70
Revised Code. 71
(B) Each municipal correctional facility shall provide 72
inmates confined in the facility with voice communication 73
service. A facility may supplement voice communication service 74
with additional communication services including video 75
communication and electronic mail or messaging services. 76
S. B. No. 333 Page 4
As Introduced
(C) Access to voice communication service, and other 77
supplemental communication services, if applicable, shall not be 78
limited beyond program participation and routine facility 79
procedures. 80
(D) Voice communication service, and other supplemental 81
communication services, if applicable, shall be provided free of 82
charge to both the person initiating and the person receiving 83
the communication. 84
(E) Each facility shall maintain a minimum ratio of one 85
operable voice communication device in each housing or 86
recreational yard to every ten people housed in the facility, 87
and a minimum of two voice communication devices in each housing 88
unit. 89
(F) A facility shall not receive revenue from the 90
provision of voice communication services, or any other 91
communication services, to any person confined or housed in the 92
facility. 93
(G) Voice communication services, or any other 94
communication service, shall not be used to replace any in- 95
person visitation program. 96
(H) No state or local agency shall receive revenue from 97
the provision of voice communication services or any other 98
communication services to any person confined in a municipal 99
correctional facility. 100
(I) Each municipal correctional facility shall report the 101
following information within ninety days after the effective 102
date of this section, and within ninety days after the end of 103
each fiscal year thereafter, to the general assembly: 104
(1) A copy of all contracts for voice communication 105
S. B. No. 333 Page 5
As Introduced
services or other supplemental communication services, if 106
applicable, along with a summary of the rates and fees being 107
paid by the facility or charged to users for each service 108
provided through the contracts; 109
(2) A complete and detailed accounting of how 110
legislatively appropriated funds for voice communication 111
services or other supplemental communication services, if 112
applicable, were spent, including spending on expenses 113
previously covered by commissions; 114
(3) Data on usage of all voice communication services or 115
other supplemental communication services, if applicable, 116
including monthly call and message volume. 117
Sec. 5120.052. (A) As used in this section: 118
(1) "Private correctional facility" has the same meaning 119
as in section 9.08 of the Revised Code. 120
(2) "State correctional institution" has the same meaning 121
as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code, and includes private 122
correctional facilities. 123
(3) "Voice communication service" means real-time, audio- 124
only communication services. 125
(4) "Voice communication device" means a device that 126
allows access to a voice communication service. 127
(B) Every state correctional institution shall provide 128
inmates confined in the institution with voice communication 129
service. An institution may supplement voice communication 130
service with additional communication services including video 131
communication and electronic mail or messaging services. 132
(C) Access to voice communication service, and other 133
S. B. No. 333 Page 6
As Introduced
supplemental communication services, if applicable, shall not be 134
limited beyond program participation and routine facility 135
procedures. 136
(D) Voice communication service, and other supplemental 137
communication services, if applicable, shall be provided free of 138
charge to both the person initiating and the person receiving 139
the communication. 140
(E) Each institution shall maintain a minimum ratio of one 141
operable voice communication device in each housing or 142
recreational yard to every ten people housed in the institution, 143
and a minimum of two voice communication devices in each housing 144
unit. 145
(F) An institution shall not receive revenue from the 146
provision of voice communication services, or any other 147
communication services, to any person confined or housed in the 148
institution. 149
(G) Voice communication services, or any other 150
communication service, shall not be used to replace any in- 151
person visitation program. 152
(H) No state or local agency shall receive revenue from 153
the provision of voice communication services or any other 154
communication services to any person confined in a state 155
correctional institution. 156
(I) Each state correctional facility shall report the 157
following information within ninety days after the effective 158
date of this section, and within ninety days after the end of 159
each fiscal year thereafter, to the general assembly: 160
(1) A copy of all contracts for voice communication 161
services or other supplemental communication services, if 162
S. B. No. 333 Page 7
As Introduced
applicable, along with a summary of the rates and fees being 163
paid by the facility or charged to users for each service 164
provided through the contracts; 165
(2) A complete and detailed accounting of how 166
legislatively appropriated funds for voice communication 167
services or other supplemental communication services, if 168
applicable, were spent, including spending on expenses 169
previously covered by commissions; 170
(3) Data on usage of all voice communication services or 171
other supplemental communication services, if applicable, 172
including monthly call and message volume. 173
Sec. 5139.132. (A) As used in this section: 174
(1) "Institution" has the same meaning as in section 175
5139.01 of the Revised Code. 176
(2) "Voice communication service" and "voice communication 177
device" have the same meanings as in section 5120.052 of the 178
Revised Code. 179
(B) Every institution shall provide children committed to 180
the department of youth services with voice communication 181
service. An institution may supplement voice communication 182
service with additional communication services including video 183
communication and electronic mail or messaging services. 184
(C) Access to voice communication service, and other 185
supplemental communication services, if applicable, shall not be 186
limited beyond program participation and routine facility 187
procedures. 188
(D) Voice communication service, and other supplemental 189
communication services, if applicable, shall be provided free of 190
S. B. No. 333 Page 8
As Introduced
charge to both the person initiating and the person receiving 191
the communication. 192
(E) Each institution shall maintain a minimum ratio of one 193
operable voice communication device in each housing or 194
recreational yard to every ten children housed in the 195
institution, and a minimum of two voice communication devices in 196
each housing unit. 197
(F) An institution shall not receive revenue from the 198
provision of voice communication services, or any other 199
communication services, to any child confined or housed in the 200
institution. 201
(G) Voice communication services, or any other 202
communication service, shall not be used to replace any in- 203
person visitation program. 204
(H) No state or local agency shall receive revenue from 205
the provision of voice communication services or any other 206
communication services to any child committed to the department 207
of youth services. 208
(I) Each institution shall report the following 209
information within ninety days after the effective date of this 210
section, and within ninety days after the end of each fiscal 211
year thereafter, to the general assembly: 212
(1) A copy of all contracts for voice communication 213
services or other supplemental communication services, if 214
applicable, along with a summary of the rates and fees being 215
paid by the facility or charged to users for each service 216
provided through the contracts; 217
(2) A complete and detailed accounting of how 218
legislatively appropriated funds for voice communication 219
S. B. No. 333