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House funds inmate college programs; adopts amendment excluding undocumented participants
Summary
The House passed House Bill 86 to stabilize funding for inmate postsecondary education programs and adopted an amendment (41–26) that excludes inmates not in the United States legally; backers cited recidivism reductions and opponents raised equity and budget concerns.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House voted to fund and stabilize existing postsecondary education programming for inmates, approving House Bill 86 as amended after floor debate weighing recidivism benefits, costs and eligibility rules.
Representative Draxler, the bill sponsor, said the bill appropriates $1.5 million from the Education Fund to institutions that provide inmate education and requires participating inmates to pay an affordable tuition based on their correctional wage rate. He cited research and program statistics showing that education can reduce recidivism from about 50 percent to roughly 16 percent for participants.
Representative Sandstrom moved an amendment to exclude inmates who are not in the United States legally, arguing such individuals will be deported and will not use the education in-state. Draxler and corrections and higher-education officials said they could not identify undocumented participants in current programs and argued immigration policy was not central to the bill; nevertheless, the House adopted the amendment by division, 41–26.
Supporters described the program as an investment in public safety and taxpayer savings. Representative Noel pointed to the high annual cost of incarceration and said education can be a cost-effective alternative that reduces recidivism and produces better community outcomes. Opponents warned of political optics and raised questions about prioritizing funding for incarcerated individuals while some citizens face tuition burdens.
The bill as amended passed the House on a recorded vote and moves to the Senate for further consideration.
Key points: - Funding: Sponsor proposed $1,500,000 from the Education Fund to be distributed to institutions currently providing postsecondary inmate education. Sponsor noted the handout incorrectly listed General Fund and clarified Education Fund was intended. - Eligibility/tuition: Participating inmates pay tuition tied to their prison wage (approximately $0.90 per hour); exact per‑inmate cost varies with credit hours and course load and was not specified on the floor. - Amendment: Adopted amendment excludes inmates not in the United States legally; sponsor said corrections officials reported little or no undocumented participation in existing programs.
Next steps: The bill will be referred to the Senate. If enacted, it would stabilize funding for existing inmate education programs and codify tuition/administration arrangements discussed by corrections and higher-education partners during floor debate.
