Committee says DOC, Agency of Digital Services must clear up communications on jail Wi‑Fi project

The House Corrections & Institutions Committee discussed whether the Department of Corrections should proceed with formal project planning with the Agency of Digital Services to install Wi‑Fi at state correctional facilities, with cost estimates described in the meeting as “several years old” and in need of updating.

The committee’s recommendation, read aloud during the meeting, said the DOC should “engage in project planning with the Agency of Digital Services” and noted the approximately $3,000,000 estimate on file was several years old and should be refreshed. Committee members and DOC leaders disputed whether that planning step had already occurred.

Committee members said the last publicly circulated estimate — repeatedly described during discussion as in the $3 million to $4 million range — likely needs revision because the heat‑mapping and vendor quotes were done two years earlier. Representative-level members pressed for an updated timeline, a clearer sequence of work and a refreshed cost estimate before any appropriation was released.

DOC leadership countered that DOC and ADS already have an agreed project charter and formal project documents, including the earlier heat mapping, scope of work and IT procurement forms, and that some miscommunication between agencies and committees had led to the confusion. “I don’t think this reflects the actual direction we need to go because this part’s already there,” Commissioner Neville said, referring to the planning documents DOC had submitted.

DOC also said it needs ADS technical input to finalize design and that timelines depend on ADS decisions and supply‑chain constraints. “We’re trying to get this thing moving as fast as we can,” the commissioner said, adding that material and labor shortages could raise costs if the project is delayed.

Committee members recommended convening a joint meeting including the DOC commissioner, the secretary of ADS, chairs from the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee and Corrections & Institutions Committee, Representative Chris Morrow, Representative Brian Minyer and Representative Kevin White, plus the appropriations chair, to align on what planning already exists and what remains to be done. The committee did not adopt a new appropriation at this meeting; members described the next step as a coordination session to verify the project status and update cost and schedule information.

The discussion also included procedural concerns about sending inconsistent committee requests to the Appropriations Committee. One member warned that having one committee ask for updated project planning while another committee’s language implies planning has not occurred could put appropriators “in a real quandary.”

Background: the Committee referenced a prior heat‑mapping and quote cycle and a project charter DOC says is agreed with ADS; members said they saw scope documents but lacked a clear implementation timeline and sequence of milestones. Committee members said they support the goal of installing facility Wi‑Fi to reduce staff workload, but they want clearer technical timelines and refreshed cost figures before releasing funds.

The committee agreed to arrange the interagency and intercommittee meeting to resolve outstanding questions and to return to appropriations with clarified planning documentation and updated cost estimates.