Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Inmate Technology topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Nevada prison board approves AR 7.53 to govern statewide inmate tablets, messaging and video visiting
Summary
The Board of State Prison Commissioners approved Administrative Regulation 7.53, which establishes statewide issuance, account types, restrictions on attachments to e‑messages and vendor replacement rules for offender tablets.
The Board of State Prison Commissioners approved Administrative Regulation 7.53 on Wednesday, formalizing rules for statewide issuance and use of offender tablets, department staff said.
Director Zorinda told the board that every offender will be issued a tablet during statewide distribution, with intake facilities handling distribution. The regulation distinguishes between a general issued tablet and a higher‑grade tablet an offender may purchase, and assigns responsibility to offenders for damaged or tampered devices. Department staff said manufacturing defects will be replaced by the vendor while damage from tampering will be the offender’s financial responsibility.
The regulation defines account types for downloading games and using e‑messaging. Video visiting will be available by appointment and will occur on tablets docked at stations in housing units; the director said tablets will not substitute for regular in‑person visiting but will provide additional visitation options. Phone calls via the tablets will be available during set hours — Director Zorinda described phone availability roughly between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. at most facilities — and video visiting will be appointment‑based.
Zorinda also said fiber‑optic connectivity issues remain under remediation and will affect timing of full rollout. The regulation bars attachments (photos or audio) in e‑messaging, the director said, and allows department staff to change content on tablets to add programs such as educational or reentry programming.
Board counsel acknowledged a typographical error in the agenda that listed AR 7.35 instead of AR 7.53; counsel said the correct regulation text was attached to meeting materials and staff would confirm whether re‑notice was needed. After reopening the agenda later in the meeting, the board approved AR 7.53 by voice vote as part of a combined motion approving both AR 4.94 and AR 7.53.
The transcript does not include a roll‑call vote by name; the approval was recorded as a voice vote. The board did not provide a full technical schedule for statewide rollout during the meeting.
