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Lawmakers defer bill to create fund compensating people overdetained in jails as talks continue
Summary
Representative Jordan introduced a proposal to raise certain gaming taxes and dedicate proceeds to compensate people who were overdetained; the committee voluntarily deferred the measure to allow further negotiations on rates and fiscal ties to other legislation.
Representative Jordan presented House Bill 650, a plan to increase the state tax on certain gaming revenues and dedicate the proceeds to a fund that would compensate people who were overdetained in jail. Jordan said the fund would pay $70 per day to persons found to have been held past their lawful release date.
"What this does, this basically creates a over detention fund," Representative Jordan said, adding that the proposal originally would have shifted a portion of sports gaming tax rates and that another bill passed the previous day changes baseline tax percentages. Jordan said the fund would not bar private civil suits: "No. And in fact this bill, it says it doesn't take away any private right of action."
Committee members asked about past litigation and how courts have adjudicated overdetention claims; Jordan said outcomes vary with facts and extremes of detention. Chair members asked Jordan to continue discussions with Representative Reiser (who is negotiating related tax language) and other stakeholders. Jordan agreed to voluntarily defer the bill for one week to allow further talks.
The committee recorded the voluntary deferral and placed stakeholder cards in the record; Jordan said he would continue discussions with Representative Reiser on a funding rate and report back.
