Judiciary committee advances bill to remove medical co‑pays for people in DOC, adds three‑year repeal test

The House Judiciary Committee voted to send House Bill 1026 to the Appropriations Committee on May 20 after adopting an amendment that will repeal the bill three years after it takes effect.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Brooke Garcia, would eliminate medical co‑payments that people incarcerated in state correctional facilities now pay for medical visits, dental, mental‑health and some optometric services. The committee adopted an amendment to repeal the change effective July 1, 2028.

Supporters said the fees block access to care for people earning only pennies or a few dollars a day in prison work programs. "This is a bill about access. This is a bill about making sure that human rights still exist even if you've made a mistake and you're incarcerated," Representative Brooke Garcia said. Vice Chair Carter told the committee the measure is about…