2023 -- H 6491

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LC003162

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT

     Introduced By: Representatives Batista, Felix, J. Lombardi, Dawson, Potter, McEntee,
Knight, Alzate, Solomon, and Sanchez

     Date Introduced: June 07, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 42-56-22 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-56 entitled "Corrections

Department" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     42-56-22. Labor by persons committed on mesne process or to answer criminal

charge.

     (a) Every person who shall be committed to the adult correctional institutions to answer for

any criminal offense, whether convicted or awaiting trial, or on mesne process in any qui tam or

penal action, or on mesne process or execution in any civil action, may be permitted to labor in the

discretion of the director, or his or her designee, for the state, and in that case may be paid not more

than three dollars ($3.00) a day for every day he or she shall labor with the express consent of the

director, or his or her designee, of the department, to be credited to the prisoner’s account by the

assistant director of administration, or his or her designee, and to be disbursed to the prisoner in

accordance with the rules and regulations of the institutions; provided, further, however, there shall

be maintained on account at all times at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the earnings of each

prisoner up to a maximum of one hundred dollars ($100) for those persons serving a sentence of

life imprisonment without parole under §§ 11-23-2, 12-19.2-1 et seq., and up to a maximum of one

thousand dollars ($1,000) two thousand dollars ($2,000) for all other prisoners; those funds to be

turned over to the prisoner at the time of his or her release from the institution, the funds being his

or her property; the moneys to be paid to the prisoner by order of the assistant director of

management services upon the general treasurer.

     (b) Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the use of the funds in the account for

the payment of any court fees and court costs required to be paid for the filing, prosecution, and

defense of any action.

     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 increase the maximum amount maintained in a prisoners account from one

thousand dollars ($1,000) to two thousand dollars ($2,000), with said funds to be turned over to the

prisoner at the time of their release from incarceration.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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