2018 -- S 2092

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LC003603

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Calkin, Quezada, Sheehan, Seveney, and Goldin

     Date Introduced: January 18, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-56-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-56 entitled

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"Corrections Department" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-56-10. Powers of the director.

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     In addition to exercising the powers and performing the duties, which are otherwise given

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to him or her by law, the director of the department of corrections shall:

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     (1) Designate, establish, maintain, and administer those state correctional facilities that he

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or she deems necessary, and may discontinue the use of those state correctional facilities that he

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or she deems appropriate for that action;

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     (2) Maintain security, safety, and order at all state correctional facilities, utilize the

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resources of the department to prevent escapes from any state correctional facility, take all

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necessary precautions to prevent the occurrence or spread of any disorder, riot, or insurrection of

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any state correctional facility, including, but not limited to, the development, planning, and

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coordination of emergency riot procedures, and take suitable measures for the restoration of

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order;

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     (3) Establish and enforce standards for all state correctional facilities;

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     (4) Supervise and/or approve the administration by the assistant directors of the

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department;

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     (5) Manage, direct, and supervise the operations of the department;

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     (6) Direct employees in the performance of their official duties;

 

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     (7) Hire, promote, transfer, assign, and retain employees and suspend, demote, discharge,

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or take other necessary disciplinary action;

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     (8) Maintain the efficiency of the operations of the department;

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     (9) Determine the methods, means, and personnel by which those operations of the

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department are to be conducted;

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     (10) Relieve employees from duties because of lack of work or for other legitimate

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reasons;

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     (11) Establish, maintain, and administer programs, including, but not limited to,

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education, training, and employment, of persons committed to the custody of the department,

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designed as far as practicable to prepare and assist each person to assume the responsibilities and

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exercise the rights of a citizen of this state;

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     (12) Establish a system of classification of persons committed to the custody of the

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department for the purpose of developing programs for each person in order to effectively

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develop an individualized program for each sentenced inmate that will address each offender's

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individual treatment and rehabilitative needs, the department of corrections is authorized to

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receive, with the express consent of the inmate, and upon request to the department of children,

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youth and families, the offender's juvenile arrest and/or adjudication records. Information related

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to the juvenile's family members and other third parties, excluding law enforcement personnel,

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shall be redacted from the records provided prior to their release to the department. The records

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will be disclosed to only those department personnel directly responsible for, and only for the

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purpose of, developing the individualized program for the offender.

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     (13) Determine at the time of commitment, and from time to time thereafter, the custody

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requirements and program needs of each person committed to the custody of the department and

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assign or transfer those persons to appropriate facilities and programs;

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     (14) Establish training programs for employees of the department;

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     (15) Investigate grievances and inquire into alleged misconduct within the department;

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     (16) Maintain adequate records of persons committed to the custody of the department;

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     (17) Establish and maintain programs of research, statistics, and planning, and conduct

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studies relating to correctional programs and responsibilities of the department;

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     (18) Utilize, as far as practicable, the services and resources of specialized community

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agencies and other local community groups in the development of programs, recruitment of

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volunteers, and dissemination of information regarding the work and needs of the department;

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     (19) Make and enter into any contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the

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performance of the duties and execution of the powers of the department, including, but not

 

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limited to, contracts to render services to committed offenders, and to provide for training or

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education for correctional officers and staff;

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     (20) Seek to develop civic interest in the work of the department and educate the public

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to the needs and goals of the corrections process;

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     (21) Expend annually in the exercise of his or her powers, performance of his or her

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duties, and for the necessary operations of the department those sums that may be appropriated by

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the general assembly; and

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     (22) Make and promulgate necessary rules and regulations incident to the exercise of his

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or her powers and the performance of his or her duties, including, but not limited to, rules and

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regulations regarding nutrition, sanitation, safety, discipline, recreation, religious services,

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communication, and visiting privileges, classification, education, training, employment, care, and

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custody for all persons committed to correctional facilities; provided, however, that no rules and

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regulations may be promulgated by the director that would allow for the restriction of in-person

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visitation due to the implementation of electronic on-line tools such as skype, facetime, or other

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means of electronic communication between an inmate and visitor.

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     (23) Make and promulgate regulations to provide:

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     (a) Written notice to licensed nursing facilities, licensed assisted living residences, and

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housing for the elderly whenever a person seeking to reside in one of these facilities or residences

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is being released on parole for any of the following offenses: murder, voluntary manslaughter,

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involuntary manslaughter, first degree sexual assault, second degree sexual assault, third degree

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sexual assault, assault on persons sixty (60) years of age or older, assault with intent to commit

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specified felonies (murder, robbery, rape, or burglary), felony assault, patient abuse, neglect or

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mistreatment of patients, burglary, first degree arson, felony larceny or robbery;

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     (b) A risk assessment process to identify and recommend safety or security measures

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necessary for the protection of other residents or clients including whether the parolee should be

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prohibited from residing in any such facility or residence or segregated from other residents or

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clients to protect the security and safety of other residents;

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     (c) The written notice to licensed nursing facilities, assisted living residences, or housing

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for the elderly shall include charge information and disposition about the offense for which the

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resident or client has been paroled, contact information for the resident's or client's parole

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supervisor, a copy of the risk assessment and recommendations, if any, regarding safety and

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security measures. A copy of the written notice shall be provided to the parolee; and

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     (d) A process for notifying the appropriate state regulatory agency and the state long-term

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care ombudsman whenever notice as required in subdivision 42-56-10(23)(a) above has been

 

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given.

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     (24) Notwithstanding the enumeration of the powers of the director as set forth in this

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section, and notwithstanding any other provision of the general laws, the validity and

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enforceability of the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement shall not be contested,

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affected, or diminished, nor shall any arbitration award be vacated, remanded or set aside on the

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basis of an alleged conflict with this section or with any other provision of the general laws.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT

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     This act would prevent the director of the department of corrections from restricting in-

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person visitation of inmates in the event that the department implemented electronic visitation or

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contact, such as skype, between inmates and visitors.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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