WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2024 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

Senate Bill 405

By Senators Chapman, Deeds, and Woelfel

[Introduced January 12, 2024; referred
to the Committee on Government Organization; and then to the Committee on Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §15A-4B-1, relating to the creation of the Jobs for Reentry Program.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 4B. Jobs For reentry.

§15A-4B-1. Jobs for Reentry Program

(a) All prisons within the Division of Correction and Rehabilitation shall implement the Jobs for Reentry Program so that urgent personnel vacancies within the state of West Virginia may be met and so those leaving incarceration are able to secure work that matches their skills, background, education, and training. The program shall be implemented as follows:

(1) Prisons shall provide a six-month trial period of employment for offenders in vacant government positions;

2) This trial period will either coincide or be close in time with the parole or release date of the offender;

3) The position offered during this trial period will reflect the skills, background, education, and training of the offender being offered the trial period.

(b) No offender may be offered a position working in a school or any position, program, or location that has its main purpose being serving West Virginia minors.

(c) This Program shall begin implementation on July 1, 2024.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create the Jobs for Reentry 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.