Bill > HB2656

This bill amends Section 41-1609.01 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which relates to the state Department of Corrections. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Requiring the Department of Corrections to conduct a biennial comparison of the services provided by private prison contractors and the state's own provision of similar services, considering factors such as security, inmate management, programs, facility safety, and personnel practices. The director must also conduct a cost comparison of private prison contracts every five years. 2. Mandating that the director provide the most recent service and cost comparisons to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for review. 3. Clarifying that the state's sovereign immunity does not apply to private prison contractors, and that contractors cannot claim the defense of sovereign immunity in any action arising from the performance of the contract. 4. Specifying that private prison contracts cannot authorize the delegation of certain authorities, such as calculating inmate release dates, awarding sentence credits, and taking disciplinary actions against inmates. The overall purpose of the bill is to increase oversight and accountability for private prison contracts in Arizona, ensuring that the state is getting the best value and quality of services for the cost.