Cost Of Phone Calls For Persons In Custody

The act clarifies that the department of corrections (DOC) shall provide voice penal communications services, and may supplement these services with other communication services, including video calls or electronic mail or messaging, (penal communication services) to persons in DOC custody in a correctional facility or private prison in the state. In administering the penal communications services, the DOC is prohibited from receiving any revenue, including commissions or fees, and the penal communications services, excluding video calls or electronic mail or messaging, must be free of charge to the person initiating and the person receiving the call.

DOC shall provide the free penal communication services according to a staggered implementation timeline, as follows:

• Beginning September 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, DOC shall cover 25% of the total penal communication services costs;
• Beginning July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, DOC shall cover 35% of the total penal communication services costs; and
• Beginning July 1, 2025, and thereafter, DOC shall cover 100% of all penal communication services costs.

The department of human services, in its role overseeing juvenile detention facilities, shall provide voice communications services, and may supplement these services with other communication services, including video calls or electronic mail or messaging, in those facilities and is prohibited from receiving any revenue from the communications services, including commissions or fees, and the communications services must be free of charge to the person initiating and the person receiving the call.

For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, $229,783 is appropriated to the department of corrections from the general fund for use by institutions. The department may use this appropriation for inmate telephone calls related to the superintendent's subprogram.

APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2023

EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023

NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)