MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2005 Regular Session

To: Corrections

By: Representative Dedeaux, Bailey, Clarke, Hudson, Robinson (63rd), Rogers (61st)

House Bill 820

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SHALL SUSPEND REIMBURSEMENT TO ANY COUNTY THAT HOUSES STATE INMATES DUE TO SUCH COUNTY'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PEER COMMITTEE CERTAIN INFORMATION PERTAINING TO A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL PER DAY COSTS OF HOUSING STATE INMATES IN COUNTY JAILS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  From and after the effective date of this act, the Department of Corrections shall suspend reimbursement to any county that is housing state inmates, and has failed to provide information to the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) Committee which is necessary for it to comply with the mandate of Section 8, Chapter 537, Laws of 2004, to determine the actual costs per day per inmate for housing state inmates in county jails.  No county for whom payments are suspended shall recieve any funds for housing state inmates until all of the following have occurred:

          (a)  Information needed for the period of October 1, 2003, through April 30, 2004, is supplied to the PEER Committee;

          (b)  The PEER Committee has reported such information to the House and Senate Corrections Committees; and

          (c)  The PEER Committee has reported to the Department of Corrections that all calculations, required by Section 8, Chapter 537, Laws of 2004, have been completed.

     Following such reporting by the PEER Committee, any county that is not in compliance with this section shall not be authorized to receive any payments for the period during which payments were suspended.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.