2023 -- S 0406

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LC001478

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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: Senators Kallman, Miller, McKenney, Bell, DiMario, Burke, Lauria, and
F. Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 16, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-56-38.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-56 entitled

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"Corrections Department" is hereby repealed.

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     42-56-38.1. Prisoner telephone use.

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     (a) When an inmate requests and receives a list of parties approved to receive telephone

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calls, the inmate shall be provided the option of using either a debit or collect call system to place

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such calls. Under the debit system, either the cost of such service shall be automatically deducted

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from the account maintained by the inmate for that purpose, or the inmate shall set aside money

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from his/her account to be placed in a prepaid telephone account.

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     (b) No telephone service provider shall charge a customer rate for calls made from a prison

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in excess of rates charged for comparable calls made in non-prison settings. All rates shall reflect

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the lowest reasonable cost to inmates and call recipients.

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     (c) No concessions agreements for inmate telephone calling services shall include

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provisions for a commission payable to the state, nor shall any correctional institution impose a

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surcharge for telephone usage by inmates in addition to the charges imposed by the telephone

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service provider.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 42-56 of the General Laws entitled "Corrections Department" is

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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     42-56-38.3. Prisoner telephone use -- Communication with people confined to

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correctional facilities.

 

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     (a) When an inmate requests and receives a list of parties approved to receive telephone

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calls, the department of corrections of any agency charged with the operation and management of

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state prisons, local jail cells maintained by any local or state law enforcement agency and youth

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residential placements or detention centers shall provide persons in their custody and confined in a

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correctional or detention facility, or held by any law enforcement agency pending an initial court

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appearance, with voice communication service. The department of corrections or other agency may

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supplement voice communication service with other communication services, including, but not

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limited to, video communication and electronic mail or messaging services. To the extent that such

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voice communication service or any other communication service is provided, which shall not be

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limited beyond program participation and routine facility procedures, each such service shall be

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provided free of charge to the person initiating and the person receiving the communication.

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     (b) The department of corrections, including all adult and juvenile facilities, in order to

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facilitate and accomplish the purposes of this section, shall maintain at a minimum the greater of:

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     (1) A ten (10) to one ratio of persons in custody to operable voice communication

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devices/telephones in each housing unit; or

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     (2) At least two (2) voice communication devices/telephones in each housing unit.

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     (c) Neither the department of corrections or any agency charged with the operation and

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management of state prisons, or local jail cells maintained by any local or state law enforcement

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agency or youth residential placements or detention centers, shall receive revenue from the

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provision of voice communication services or any other communication services to any person

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confined in any correctional facility, local jail cell or youth residential placement or detention

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center.

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     (d) The department of corrections or any agency charged with the operation and

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management of state prisons or youth residential placements or detention centers shall provide

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persons in their custody and confined in their facilities with in-person contact visits.

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     SECTION 3. 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 repeals provisions which allow for the department of corrections to charge inmates

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for phone calls and require the department of corrections to provide free communication services

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to inmates and juveniles held in residential placement or detention centers and would require that

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those facilities provide in-person contact visits.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC001478

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