WEST virginia Legislature
2017 regular session
By
[
to the Committee on the Judiciary then Finance.
A BILL to amend and
reenact §31-20-31 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to
allowing the Executive Director of the West Virginia Regional Jail and
Correctional Facility Authority to establish a work program only for qualified
inmates sentenced to a regional jail facility and not waiting transfer to a
state correctional facility; and specifying minimum requirements for the
program.
Be it enacted by the
Legislature of West Virginia:
That §31-20-31 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 20. WEST VIRGINIA REGIONAL JAIL AND CORRECTIONAL
FACILITY AUTHORITY.
§31-20-31. Work program.
(a) The Executive
Director of the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority
may propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of
article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to establish at each
regional jail facility a work program for qualified inmates sentenced to
a regional jail facility, not awaiting transfer to a state correctional
facility, and to establish at each regional jail facility under his or her
jurisdiction an inmate trustee account. The authority shall establish
guidelines and qualifications to allow inmates sentenced to a regional jail
facility a qualified inmate to be gainfully employed with local
businesses and governmental entities, as part of a job program including
county commissions or other qualified city or county government agencies, with
the consent of the inmate. Provided, That with regard to
an inmate sentenced to the Division of Corrections that is domiciled at a
regional jail facility under the supervision of the authority, the Commissioner
of the Division of Corrections or designee shall first determine the eligibility
of such inmate for participation in the work program authorized by this section
and consent to such inmate's participation therein A qualified inmate does not include an inmate
convicted of a sexual offense or a violent felony, or otherwise known to be
a danger to the general public.
Inmates participating in
a work release program pursuant to this section may be granted up to sixty days
of good time and may be released from incarceration up to sixty days
immediately prior to the scheduled completion of their respective sentence or
period of incarceration.
(b) The administrator or
designee of each regional jail facility shall receive and take charge of the
money of all inmates in his or her regional jail and all money sent to the
inmates or earned by the inmates as compensation for work performed under this
section. The administrator or designee shall credit the money and earnings to
the inmate entitled to it and shall keep an accurate account of all the money
so received, which account is subject to examination by the executive director
or designee. The administrator or designee shall deposit the moneys in one or
more responsible banks in accounts to be designated inmate trustee account.
(c) For each inmate
sentenced to the Division of Corrections participating in a work program
authorized by this section, the administrator or designee of the regional jail
facility shall keep in an account at least ten percent of all money earned
during the inmate's incarceration and pay the money to the inmate at the time
of the inmate's release. The administrator may authorize the inmate to withdraw
money from his or her mandatory savings for the purpose of preparing the inmate
for reentry into society.
(d) An inmate who works in
work programs established under this section shall make reimbursement to the
authority toward the cost of his or her incarceration to be credited to the
agency billed for that incarceration. Provided, That Prior to directing a qualified inmate
to make reimbursement under this section, the executive director or designee
shall consider the following:
(1) The inmate's ability to
pay;
(2) The nature and extent
of the inmate's responsibilities to his or her dependents, if any;
(3) The length of probable
incarceration under the court's sentence; and
(4) The effect, if any,
that reimbursement might have on the inmate's rehabilitation.
(e) (1) The administrator
shall deduct from the earnings of each qualified inmate legitimate
court-ordered financial obligations including, but not limited to, child
support payments, liens and any other court-ordered financial obligation. The
executive director shall develop a policy that outlines the formula for the
distribution of the qualified inmate's income and the formula shall include a
percentage deduction, not to exceed forty percent in the aggregate, for any
court ordered victim restitution, court fees and child support obligations owed
under a support order, including an administrative fee not to exceed $1,
consistent with the provisions of subsection (c), section four, article
fourteen, chapter forty-eight, to support the authority's administration of this financial service.
(2) In the event that the
qualified inmate's income is subject to garnishment for child support
enforcement deductions, it shall be calculated on the net wages after taxes,
legal financial obligations and garnishment. Provided, That
However, nothing in this section limits the authority of the Bureau for Child
Support Enforcement of the Department of Health and Human Resources from taking
collection action against an inmate's moneys, assets or property.
(f) The administrator or
designee of a regional jail facility, upon request of an inmate to release
funds on behalf of the family of the inmate, may authorize the release of funds
up to one half of the money earned by the inmate participating in a work
program as authorized by this section Provided, That if
the court-ordered financial obligations provided in subsection (e) of this
section and other fees owed by the inmate including, but not limited to, the
costs of incarceration and any restitution for facility rule infractions, have
been paid. The remainder of the money earned, after deducting amounts expended
as authorized, shall be accumulated to the credit of the inmate and be paid to
the inmate at times as may be prescribed by rules. The funds so accumulated on
behalf of inmates shall be held by the administrator or designee of each
institution under a bond approved by the Attorney General.
(g) The administrator or
designee shall deliver to the inmate at the time he or she leaves the regional
jail facility, or as soon as practicable after departure, moneys and earnings
then credited to the inmate. Provided, That However,
if an inmate is transferred to the physical custody of the Commissioner of the
Division of Corrections, as defined in section two of this article, at the time
he or she leaves the regional jail facility, the administrator or designee
shall deliver moneys and earnings then credited to the inmate to the
Commissioner of the Division of Corrections for administration in accordance
with the provisions of section three-a, article one, chapter twenty-five. In case of the death of the inmate before
authorized release from the regional jail facility, the administrator or
designee shall deliver the property to the inmate's lawful representative. In
case a conservator is appointed for the inmate while he or she is domiciled at
the regional jail facility, the administrator shall deliver to the conservator,
upon proper demand, all moneys and personal property belonging to the inmate that
are in the custody of the administrator.
(h) The executive director
shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with article three,
chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to administer and establish the work
programs authorized by this section.
(i) Notwithstanding any
provision of this code to the contrary, the county commission, its members and
agents, the Executive Director of the West Virginia Regional Jail and
Correctional Facility Authority or designee its members or agents, the sheriff,
his or her deputies, correctional officers and agents shall be immune from all
liability of any kind except for accident, injury or death resulting directly
from gross negligence or malfeasance.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is
to allow the Executive Director of the West Virginia Regional Jail and
Correctional Facility Authority to establish a work program for qualified
inmates sentenced to a regional jail facility. It includes provisions
specifying minimum requirements for the program.
Strike-throughs indicate language
that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring
indicates new language that would be added.