House Bill 426

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-5-1205, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO HOUSE OFFENDERS WHO ARE NOT SENTENCED TO THE REGIMENTED INMATE DISCIPLINE (RID) PROGRAM TO BE HOUSED AT THE SOUTH MISSISSIPPI CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 47-5-1205, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

47-5-1205. (1) The State Prison Emergency Construction and Management Board shall provide for the construction and shall equip additional housing and necessary support facilities for one thousand two hundred sixteen (1,216) medium security male offenders and for two hundred (200) male offenders sentenced to the Regimented Inmate Discipline Program at the South Mississippi Correctional Institution. The Mississippi Department of Corrections may house offenders not sentenced to RID in the South Mississippi Correctional Institute as it deems appropriate.

(2) The State Prison Emergency Construction and Management Board shall provide for the construction and shall equip additional housing and support facilities for seven hundred (700) medium security male offenders at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility.

(3) The State Prison Emergency Construction and Management Board shall use funds from the "Corrections Facilities Emergency Construction Fund."

(4) The Department of Finance and Administration shall use its emergency powers to expedite the construction of these facilities. In the planning, design, procurement and construction of these facilities, the board shall make maximum utilization of plans, specifications and processes used in, completed or on-going construction projects for the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.