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Committee backs HJR3 allowing state to contract for more beds at Iron County jail
Summary
The committee voted unanimously to favorably recommend HJR3, a joint resolution authorizing the state Department of Corrections to contract for up to 65 additional beds at the new Iron County correctional facility in support of state prisoner placement.
The Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee on Feb. 24 gave a unanimous favorable recommendation to HJR3, a joint resolution that supports contracting for additional state inmate beds at the Iron County correctional facility.
Representative Vollberg, the sponsor, said the resolution "supports contracting for beds for state inmates at the new Iron County, correctional facility where, the Department of Corrections is authorized to contract for a 65 beds in addition to the current 35 beds in Iron County." He said the county built a new jail facility after a bond election failed, and the additional contracted beds would help both the county and the state.
Committee members clarified that HJR3 authorizes contracting "up to" the additional beds and that the Department of Corrections will determine whether and when to use them. The committee took no public comment on the resolution, and Senator Vickers moved a favorable recommendation. The committee recorded the motion as unanimous.
The resolution does not itself require the Department of Corrections to house inmates at Iron County; it authorizes the state to enter contracts for up to 65 additional beds beyond the existing 35. The resolution was advanced to the next Senate stage with the committee's unanimous recommendation.
