summary
Introduced
02/07/2025
02/07/2025
In Committee
04/11/2025
04/11/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
Potential new amendment
104th General Assembly
Bill Summary
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Deletes provision that the Department of Central Management Services shall contract with the qualified vendor who proposes the lowest per minute rate not exceeding 7 cents per minute for debit, prepaid, collect calls and who does not bill to any party any tax, service charge, or additional fee exceeding the per minute rate, including, but not limited to, any per call surcharge, account set up fee, bill statement fee, monthly account maintenance charge, or refund fee as established by the Federal Communications Commission Order for state prisons in the Matter of Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services, Second Report and Order, WC Docket 12-375, FCC 15-136 (adopted Oct. 22, 2015). Provides that the Department of Central Management Services shall contract with a qualified vendor for telephone services in which the cost of the service is not based on the number of telephone calls made. Provides that a committed person is entitled to make free telephone calls from the correctional institution or facility. Provides that neither the Department of Corrections nor its agents may adopt rules that charge a committed person per telephone call made. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall adopt rules determining the length of each call made by a committed person, how many times each day a committed person may make telephone calls, and may prohibit calls for illegal purposes.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Unified Code of Corrections to fundamentally change how telephone services are provided in correctional institutions. The legislation mandates that the Department of Central Management Services contract with a vendor for telephone services where the cost is not based on the number of calls made, effectively establishing free phone calls for incarcerated individuals. Specifically, the bill requires that committed persons be entitled to make free telephone calls from correctional facilities, and prohibits the Department of Corrections or its agents from charging per-call fees. The Department of Corrections is required to establish rules governing the length of calls, the number of calls per day a person may make, and may restrict calls for illegal purposes. This represents a significant shift from the previous system, which allowed charging for calls and required contracting with vendors based on per-minute rates. The bill removes detailed provisions about call rates and fees that were previously in place, such as the 7-cent per minute rate and restrictions on additional service charges, and replaces them with a straightforward mandate for free phone calls with reasonable administrative guidelines.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate (on 03/12/2026)
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...