103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5257

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Hoan Huynh

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
730 ILCS 5/3-4-1  from Ch. 38, par. 1003-4-1

    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.


LRB103 38626 RLC 68763 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5257LRB103 38626 RLC 68763 b

1    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by
5changing Section 3-4-1 as follows:
 
6    (730 ILCS 5/3-4-1)  (from Ch. 38, par. 1003-4-1)
7    Sec. 3-4-1. Gifts and Grants; Special Trusts Funds;
8Department of Corrections Reimbursement and Education Fund.
9    (a) The Department may accept, receive and use, for and in
10behalf of the State, any moneys, goods or services given for
11general purposes of this Code by the federal government or
12from any other source, public or private, including
13collections from inmates, reimbursement of payments under the
14Workers' Compensation Act, and commissions from inmate collect
15call telephone systems under an agreement with the Department
16of Central Management Services. For these purposes the
17Department may comply with such conditions and enter into such
18agreements upon such covenants, terms, and conditions as the
19Department may deem necessary or desirable, if the agreement
20is not in conflict with State law.
21    (a-5) The Department of Central Management Services shall
22contract with a qualified vendor for telephone services in
23which the cost of the service is not based on the number of

 

 

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1telephone calls made. A committed person is entitled to make
2free telephone calls from the correctional institution or
3facility. Neither the Department of Corrections nor its agents
4may adopt rules that charge a committed person per telephone
5call made. The Department of Corrections shall adopt rules
6determining the length of each call made by a committed
7person, how many times each day a committed person may make
8telephone calls, and may prohibit calls for illegal purposes.
9Beginning January 1, 2018, the Department of Central
10Management Services shall contract with the qualified vendor
11who proposes the lowest per minute rate not exceeding 7 cents
12per minute for debit, prepaid, collect calls and who does not
13bill to any party any tax, service charge, or additional fee
14exceeding the per minute rate, including, but not limited to,
15any per call surcharge, account set up fee, bill statement
16fee, monthly account maintenance charge, or refund fee as
17established by the Federal Communications Commission Order for
18state prisons in the Matter of Rates for Interstate Inmate
19Calling Services, Second Report and Order, WC Docket 12-375,
20FCC 15-136 (adopted Oct. 22, 2015). Telephone services made
21available through a prepaid or collect call system shall
22include international calls; those calls shall be made
23available at reasonable rates subject to Federal
24Communications Commission rules and regulations, but not to
25exceed 23 cents per minute. Public Act 99-878 applies to any
26new or renewal contract for inmate calling services.

 

 

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1    (b) On July 1, 1998, the Department of Corrections
2Reimbursement Fund and the Department of Corrections Education
3Fund shall be combined into a single fund to be known as the
4Department of Corrections Reimbursement and Education Fund,
5which is hereby created as a special fund in the State
6Treasury. The moneys deposited into the Department of
7Corrections Reimbursement and Education Fund shall be
8appropriated to the Department of Corrections for the expenses
9of the Department.
10    The following shall be deposited into the Department of
11Corrections Reimbursement and Education Fund:
12        (i) Moneys received or recovered by the Department of
13    Corrections as reimbursement for expenses incurred for the
14    incarceration of committed persons.
15        (ii) Moneys received or recovered by the Department as
16    reimbursement of payments made under the Workers'
17    Compensation Act.
18        (iii) Moneys received by the Department as commissions
19    from inmate collect call telephone systems.
20        (iv) Moneys received or recovered by the Department as
21    reimbursement for expenses incurred by the employment of
22    persons referred to the Department as participants in the
23    federal Job Training Partnership Act programs.
24        (v) Federal moneys, including reimbursement and
25    advances for services rendered or to be rendered and
26    moneys for other than educational purposes, under grant or

 

 

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1    contract.
2        (vi) Moneys identified for deposit into the Fund under
3    Section 13-44.4 of the School Code.
4        (vii) Moneys in the Department of Corrections
5    Reimbursement Fund and the Department of Corrections
6    Education Fund at the close of business on June 30, 1998.
7    (c) The Department of Juvenile Justice Reimbursement and
8Education Fund is created as a special fund in the State
9Treasury. The moneys deposited into the Department of Juvenile
10Justice Reimbursement Fund and Education shall be appropriated
11to the Department of Juvenile Justice for the expenses of the
12Department. The following moneys shall be deposited into the
13Department of Juvenile Justice Reimbursement Fund and
14Education Fund:
15        (i) received or recovered by the Department of
16    Juvenile Justice as reimbursement for expenses incurred
17    for the incarceration of committed youth;
18        (ii) received or recovered by the Department as
19    reimbursement of payments made under the Workers'
20    Compensation Act;
21        (iii) received or recovered by the Department as
22    reimbursement for expenses incurred by the employment of
23    persons referred to the Department as participants in the
24    federal Job Training Partnership Act programs;
25        (iv) federal moneys, including reimbursement and
26    advances for services rendered or to be rendered and

 

 

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1    moneys for other than educational purposes, under grant or
2    contract; and
3        (v) moneys identified for deposit into the Fund under
4    Section 13-44.6 of the School Code.
5(Source: P.A. 102-350, eff. 8-13-21; 102-699, eff. 7-1-22.)