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Corrections requests $1.65M for security equipment plus $800K annual licenses, cites AI mail scanning
Summary
The Department of Corrections told the legislative subcommittee it seeks one-time equipment purchases and ongoing licensing for facility security technology under Decision Package 202, including mail-scanning AI, with some implementation details withheld for safety.
Natalie Smitham, chief financial officer for the Department of Corrections, told the Section D subcommittee the department’s Decision Package 202 requests one-time equipment purchases and ongoing licensing to upgrade security technology in state correctional facilities.
"Youll notice that there's a larger amount in fiscal year 26 and a smaller amount in fiscal year 27," Smitham said. "So that $800,000 in fiscal year 27 is the piece of that package that we anticipate to be ongoing licensing fees ... The 1,650,000.00 reflects some purchases of equipment that possibly go with the licensing technology but would be a one-time purchase of equipment or technology."
The package covers perimeter and detection technologies and software licensing the department says will require annual fees to vendors. Smitham said the department intentionally did not provide a complete, public list of equipment to avoid identifying security vulnerabilities. "We were careful to not provide a complete list of what those things are primarily because we dont want to point out on the record where those might be," she said.
On the record, Smitham confirmed one specific use the department has discussed publicly: more advanced mail-scanning technology. "There are some states that have some AI technology that they can utilize to scan mail to a greater detail than we are doing ... so that's one that we've talked about publicly," she said, adding the technology would enable closer monitoring of messages transmitted via inmate tablets "without hiring additional staff."
Committee staff scheduled executive action later in the day on multiple decision packages, and told members the budget tracker on the subcommittee web page will reflect any approvals.
The subcommittee asked for additional detail about the split between one-time purchases and ongoing licensing; Smitham pointed members to the fiscal-year breakdown and indicated the $800,000 in fiscal 2027 is the ongoing base amount the department expects to carry forward, while $1.65 million in fiscal 2026 reflects one-time purchases. No formal vote on DP 202 was recorded in the transcript.
The committee did not receive a public line-item inventory for the requested equipment during the discussion; staff said more documentation (the budget tracker and decision-package worksheets) would be made available to members.
