2005 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 157 – Jails, commissary fund, use

HOUSE BILL NO. 157

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Bill Status



H0157................................by JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION
COUNTY JAILS - Amends existing law to provide that county jails are
authorized to create a self-perpetuating commissary fund; to provide the
purpose of the commissary fund; to increase the fee county sheriff
departments may charge a nonindigent inmate for health care visits; to
provide that inmates provide health insurance information; and to provide
that the sheriff is authorized to submit medical costs to the inmate's
health insurance company on behalf of the inmate.
                                                                        
02/10    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/11    Rpt prt - to Jud
02/28    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/01    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/07    3rd rdg - PASSED - 64-2-4
      AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Bastian, Bayer, Bedke, Bell,
      Bilbao, Black, Block, Boe, Bolz, Bradford, Chadderdon, Clark,
      Collins, Crow, Deal, Denney, Edmunson, Ellsworth, Eskridge,
      Field(18), Field(23), Garrett, Hart, Harwood, Henbest, Henderson,
      Jaquet, Kemp, Loertscher, Martinez, Mathews, McGeachin, McKague,
      Miller, Mitchell, Moyle, Nielsen, Nonini, Pasley-Stuart, Pence,
      Raybould, Ring, Ringo, Roberts, Rusche, Rydalch, Sali, Sayler,
      Schaefer, Shepherd(2), Shepherd(8), Shirley, Skippen, Smith(30),
      Smith(24), Smylie, Snodgrass, Trail, Wills, Wood, Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- Barrett, LeFavour
      Absent and excused -- Cannon, Jones, Lake, Stevenson
    Floor Sponsor - Henderson
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/08    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Jud
03/15    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/16    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/21    3rd rdg - PASSED - 31-0-3, 1 vacancy
      AYES -- Andreason, Brandt, Broadsword, Bunderson, Burkett,
      Burtenshaw, Cameron, Compton, Corder, Darrington, Davis, Gannon,
      Geddes, Goedde, Hill, Jorgenson, Kelly, Keough, Langhorst, Little,
      Lodge, Marley, McGee, McKenzie, Pearce, Richardson, Schroeder,
      Stegner, Stennett, Sweet, Williams
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Coiner, Malepeai, Werk, (District 21 seat
      vacant)
    Floor Sponsor - Lodge
    Title apvd - to House
03/22    To enrol
03/23    Rpt enrol - Sp signed
03/24    Pres signed - To Governor
03/28    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 181
         Effective: 07/01/05

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2005
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 157
                                                                        
                      BY JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO JAILS; AMENDING SECTION 20-618, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT COUNTY
  3        JAILS ARE AUTHORIZED TO CREATE A SELF-PERPETUATING COMMISSARY FUND AND  TO
  4        PROVIDE  THE  PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSARY FUND; AND AMENDING SECTION 20-619,
  5        IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR COMMISSARY OR PERSONAL  ACCOUNTS,  TO  INCREASE
  6        THE  FEE  THAT  COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENTS MAY CHARGE A NONINDIGENT INMATE
  7        FOR HEALTH CARE VISITS, TO PROVIDE FOR COLLECTION OF  DEBTS  INCURRED  FOR
  8        HEALTH  CARE  VISITS,  TO  PROVIDE THAT AN INMATE PROVIDE HEALTH INSURANCE
  9        INFORMATION AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE SHERIFF IS AUTHORIZED TO SUBMIT  MEDI-
 10        CAL  COSTS  TO  THE  INMATE'S  HEALTH  INSURANCE  COMPANY ON BEHALF OF THE
 11        INMATE.
                                                                        
 12    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 13        SECTION 1.  That Section 20-618, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
 14    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 15        20-618.  JAIL COMMISSARY FUND. County jails which provide commissary items
 16    to  inmates,  and  collect  the costs or a portion of the costs for such items
 17    from an inmate with sufficient funds to pay for items, are authorized to  cre-
 18    ate a self-perpetuating commissary fund. The purpose of the commissary fund is
 19    to both supply inmates with and provide a fund from which reimbursement can be
 20    made  to  the  county  for  an  inmate's use or purchases of necessary hygiene
 21    items, recreational devices and other inmate care items, and deposit the funds
 22    from the sale of items in this fund medical items and services, and any  other
 23    debts  incurred  pursuant  to  this  chapter.  This fund shall be subject to a
 24    yearly audit authorized by the board of county commissioners.
                                                                        
 25        SECTION 2.  That Section 20-619, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
 26    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 27        20-619.  FEE  FOR MEDICAL SERVICE. (1) County sheriff departments adminis-
 28    tering county jails may charge a nominal fee of five twenty dollars ($520.00)
 29    to any nonindigent inmate who has sufficient funds in his  commissary/personal
 30    or  personal  account  for  the  purpose of seeing the jail provided doctor or
 31    nurse for a medical complaint. In the event that an inmate is  indigent,  such
 32    service shall be provided by the county at no cost.
 33        (2)  The  county sheriff departments administering county jails may charge
 34    actual costs to any nonindigent inmate who has sufficient funds in his commis-
 35    sary/personal or personal account for pharmaceuticals prescribed or authorized
 36    by jail medical staff.
 37        (3)  A "nonindigent" inmate, for purposes of this section,  is  an  inmate
 38    who has money in his commissary/personal or personal account normally used for
 39    the purchase of personal items for the inmate.
 40        (4)  All debts incurred pursuant to this section may be collected from the
 41    inmate's commissary or personal account, in whole or in part, at any time dur-
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    ing  the  period of incarceration, whenever moneys exist in or are placed into
  2    the inmate's commissary or personal account, provided that  the  jail  has  in
  3    place  a  process  by  which the affected inmate may contest the assessment of
  4    moneys owed. Collection of moneys owed may occur at any time, in whole  or  in
  5    part,  until  such  time  as the full balance of the moneys owed is completely
  6    retired, provided that there shall be no further efforts to collect  the  debt
  7    after four (4) years from the date in which the debt was actually incurred.
  8        (5)  The county sheriff may require the inmate to provide health insurance
  9    information including, but not limited to, group, plan and identification num-
 10    bers. The county sheriff is authorized to submit medical costs to the inmate's
 11    health insurance company on behalf of the inmate.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 14770

This legislation will provide Idaho county sheriffs the
opportunity for reimbursement of medical, dental, prescription
drug and other costs of medical services incurred while housing
non-indigent inmates in county jails.  No essential medical care
is denied to any indigent inmate.  This legislation provides
county sheriffs specific authority for collection of medical
costs from current and former county jail inmates who have
financial resources including their medical/hospitalization
insurance that may be in force.


                           FISCAL NOTE 
      
This legislation will have no fiscal impact on the General Fund. 
County sheriffs already have jail administrative procedures in
place to enforce the proposed collection methods.  It is
anticipated that collections authorized by this legislation will
significantly reduce jail housing costs now paid exclusively by
local property tax payers.


Contact
Name:  Rep. Frank Henderson 
Phone: 332-1000


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                    H 157