WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 4916

By Delegate S. Brown

[Introduced February 11, 2020; Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section designated §15A-4-13a, relating to charges assessed against inmates for services; providing that services includes reading books online, making or receiving video calls, sending or receiving emails, making or receiving phone calls, or accessing news or other permissible media; and permitting the commissioner to assess a fee under certain conditions. 

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

Article 4. Corrections Management.

§15A-4-13a. Charges assessed against inmates for other services.

The commissioner may not contract with organizations that charge fees above the market price to inmates for services, including, but not limited to, using tablets to read books accessible for free online, to make or receive video calls, to send or receive emails, to make or receive phone calls, or to access news or other permissible media. The commissioner may contract with organizations that assess a fee for services: Provided, That any fee charged to an inmate for services is not exorbitant or exploitative.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prevent inmates being charged exorbitant or exploitative fees for services provided by prisons, such as reading books available for free online.  

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.