Hays County approves phased contract with LaSalle, aims to bring inmates back over a year

Hays County Commissioners on July 8 approved an intergovernmental inmate housing agreement with LaSalle Corrections West LLC that the county says will reduce the number of Hays County detainees held out of county while the sheriff's office adds beds and staff.

The contract begins Oct. 1, 2025, with an initial commitment for 100 beds at a rate of $102.50 per bed per day (about $10,250 per day for the block rate). County officials described a schedule in which the minimum commitment steps down over time if the county meets staffing and bed-availability milestones: to 75 beds on April 1, 2026, to 50 beds on Oct. 1, 2026, with an option to bring everyone home after the first year with 30 days' notice.

The sheriff's office said the phased approach reflects progress on jail renovations and ongoing hiring. Chief Deputy Brett Bailey told the court he backs the plan and is "confident we're on track to finish our renovations prior to Oct. 1" and to hire sufficient personnel to bring back the first 100 inmates. Bailey said the contract is intended as a transitional measure while the county expands local housing capacity and staffing.

Multiple public commenters urged the commissioners to reject or delay the contract, saying transfers to distant, for‑profit facilities hurt inmates' access to family and counsel and reduce local oversight. Public comments described repeated re‑bookings, long-distance transfers and difficulty reaching attorneys and relatives. One commenter said the proposed contract "encourages incarceration" by guaranteeing payment for beds whether occupied or not; others cited limits on surprise inspections and access to records in the contract.

County staff and the sheriff's office said the contract is narrower than earlier outsourcing arrangements and replaces a prior arrangement that moved hundreds of county detainees to several distant facilities. The jail chief said LaSalle had been one of the more reliable partners during a period when Hays County had inmates placed in as many as eight different contracts across the state.

The motion to authorize execution of the new intergovernmental agreement passed on a roll-call vote: Commissioner Hammer, yes; Commissioner Inglesby, yes; Commissioner Smith, yes; Commissioner Cohen, yes; County Judge Becerra, yes. Commissioners and staff said the county will continue to pursue nearby housing contracts as contingency and will maintain oversight, including receiving copies of inspections and reports from the contracted facility.

What the contract requires: the county will pay the minimum daily rate for the block of beds whether or not every bed is occupied; inspections and Public Information Act requests were discussed during the meeting as points the court expects to enforce and monitor; the agreement includes a 30‑day termination option after one year if the county can house detainees locally. County leaders said they expect to continue local housing reductions faster if hiring and renovation milestones are met sooner than scheduled.

The county asked staff to follow up with LaSalle and Haskell County on inspection records and to ensure processes for family complaints and grievance reporting are available and documented for Hays County staff and for families. Commissioners said they will review financial and operational impacts during the FY‑26 budget process and that the preference remains to return detainees to Hays County custody as quickly and safely as possible.