House Bill 1455

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-5-579, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE "PILOT" DESIGNATION FROM THE WORK INITIATIVE PROGRAM; TO REMOVE THE CAP ON THE NUMBER OF INMATES WHO MAY PARTICIAPTE IN THE WORK INITIATIVE; TO PROVIDE THE WORK INITIATIVE MAY BE CONDUCTED AT ANY FACILITY UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS RATHER THAN JUST AT THE CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI CORRECTIONAL FACILITY; TO REVISE THE AMOUNT OF THE INMATES' WAGES THAT ARE PAID TO THE CORPORATION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES AND THE AMOUNT THE INMATES SAVE FROM THEIR WAGES; TO REVISE THE DATA INFORMATION THAT IS REPORTED TO THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND EXPENDITURE REVIEW (PEER) AND TO THE CORRECTIONS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE OVERSIGHT TASK FORCE; TO EXTEND THE DATE OF REPEAL ON THIS SECTION TO JULY 1, 2027; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 47-5-579, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

47-5-579. (1) (a) The corporation is authorized to create a * * *~~Pilot~~ Work Initiative at * * * any facility under the jurisdiction of the department.

(b) The department shall:

(i) Have the ultimate authority for oversight of the administration of the initiative;

(ii) Delegate the administration of the initiative to the corporation; and

(iii) Oversee the selection of inmates for admission to the initiative.

(2) (a) An inmate is eligible for participation in the initiative if the inmate has:

(i) No more than two (2) years remaining on the inmate's sentence;

(ii) Not been convicted under Section 97-9-49 within the last five (5) years; and

(iii) Not been sentenced for a sex offense as defined in Section 45-33-23(h).

(b) Any inmate that meets the eligibility requirements of paragraph (a) may request assignment to the work initiative established under this section.

(3) (a) The commissioner shall select inmates for admission to the program.

(b) An inmate currently participating in vocational training or a soft skills training program with the department shall have priority in admission to the program.

(4) (a) The chief executive officer may authorize the inmate to participate in educational or other rehabilitative programs designed to supplement his work initiative employment or to prepare the person for successful reentry.

(b) Before accepting any participants to the program, the corporation, in consultation with the department, shall adopt and publish rules and regulations to effectuate this section no later than six (6) months after the effective date of this section. These rules and regulations shall include all protection requirements for work release programs established pursuant to Sections 47-5-451 through 47-5-471. Participating employers shall pay no less than the prevailing wage for the position and shall under no circumstance pay less than the federal minimum wage.

(5) Any inmate assigned to the initiative who, without proper authority or just cause, leaves the area to which he has been assigned to work or attend educational or other rehabilitative programs, or leaves the vehicle or route of travel involved in his or her going to or returning from such place, will be guilty of escape as provided in Section 97-9-49. An offender who is convicted under Section 97-9-49 shall be ineligible for further participation in the work initiative during his or her current term of confinement.

(6) (a) The inmate shall maintain an account through a local financial institution and shall provide a copy of a check stub to the chief executive officer.

(b) The inmate shall be required:

(i) To pay twenty-five percent (25%) of the inmate's wages after mandatory deductions for the following purposes:

1. To pay support of dependents or to the Mississippi Department of Human Services on behalf of dependents as may be ordered by a judge of competent jurisdiction; and

2. To pay any fines, restitution, or costs as ordered by the court to include any fines and fees associated with obtaining a valid driver's license upon release.

(ii) To pay * * *~~ten percent (10%)~~ twenty percent (20%) of the inmate's wages to the corporation for administrative expenses to include transportation costs.

(iii) To save * * *~~fifty percent (50%)~~ forty percent (40%) of the inmate's wages in the account required under paragraph (a) of this subsection. Monies under this sub-item shall be made available to the inmate upon parole or release.

(c) The inmate shall have access to the remaining fifteen percent (15%) of the monies in the inmate's account to purchase incidental expenses.

(7) The chief executive officer of the corporation shall collect and maintain data which shall be shared semiannually with the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) and the Corrections and Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force in sortable electronic format. The first report shall be made on January 15, 2023, and in six-month intervals thereafter unless PEER establishes a different schedule. The data shall include:

(a) Total number of participants at the beginning of each month by race, gender, and offenses charged;

* * *

( * * *db) Total number of participants who successfully completed the program in each month by race, gender, and offenses charged;

( * * *ec) Total number of participants who left the program in each month and reason for leaving by race, gender, and offenses charged;

( * * *fd) Total number of participants who were arrested for a new criminal offense while in the program in each month by race, gender and offenses charged;

( * * *ge) Total number of participants who were convicted of a new crime while in the program in each month by race, gender and offenses charged;

( * * *hf) Total number of participants who completed the program and were convicted of a new crime within three (3) years of completing the program by race, gender and offenses charged and by number of months between release from custody and conviction of a new crime;

( * * *ig) Total amount earned by participants and how the earnings were distributed in each month;

( * * *jh) Results of any initial risk and needs assessments conducted on each participant by race, gender, and offenses charged;

( * * *ki) * * *~~Total~~ List of participating employers;

( * * *lj) * * *~~Total~~ List of jobs acquired by participants;

( * * *mk) * * *~~Total list the~~ Hourly wage paid to each participant;

( * * *nl) * * *~~Total~~ Accounting of the manner and use of the * * *~~ten percent (10%)~~ twenty percent (20%) of the wages paid to the corporation by the inmate for administrative expenses;

( * * *om) Total costs associated with program operations;

( * * *pn) * * *~~Total~~ List of participating financial institutions;

( * * *qo) The number of accounts opened by participants at financial institutions;

( * * *rp) The average hourly wage earned in the program; and

( * * *sq) Any other data or information as requested by the task force.

(8) The Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) shall conduct a review of the initiative established under this section and produce a report to the Legislature on their effectiveness by January 1, 2024, and by January 1 of each year thereafter. The PEER Committee shall seek the assistance of the Corrections and Criminal Justice Task Force and may seek assistance from any other criminal justice experts it deems necessary during its review.

(9) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, * * *~~2024~~ 2027.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.