Bill > S1550

This bill aims to strengthen family and community connection with incarcerated people. It proposes several key provisions to achieve this goal: 1. It prohibits correctional institutions from unreasonably limiting in-person visitation, such as providing fewer than 3 visitation opportunities per 7-day period, placing limitations on the number of visitors, or excluding visitors based on their status as formerly incarcerated or as prison volunteers. 2. It requires correctional institutions to allow incarcerated people to hold and play with their minor children during visits, to permit reasonable physical contact between incarcerated people and visitors, and to provide contact visitation wherever feasible. 3. It mandates that correctional institutions provide a separate confidential room for legal visits and allow daily access to visitation during all facility or hospital visiting hours if an incarcerated person is in critical condition or in imminent danger of death. 4. It requires correctional staff to attend training on the importance of ongoing visitation for reducing recidivism, violence, and increasing successful re-entry, as well as the importance of civility and respectful conduct toward visitors. Overall, the bill aims to remove barriers to visitation and strengthen the connections between incarcerated people and their families and communities, which research has shown can have positive impacts on rehabilitation and reintegration.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S1550