Fiscal court adopts resolution backing House Bill 557 seeking higher payments for county jail housing

Members of the public asked Clark County Fiscal Court to adopt a resolution supporting House Bill 557, which they said would increase the per‑diem the state pays counties for housing state inmates. "They're not treating the counties ... fair," a resident identified in the record as Mr. Dennis said in public comment, urging the court to support the bill and deliver the resolution prepared by the county association.

Dennis and another speaker said KACo (the county association) had reviewed House Bill 557 and that several state representatives had already cosponsored it. "As of last night ... there was 14 state representatives that have signed on as co‑sponsors ... As of this morning, there's 24," Dennis said, urging the fiscal court to adopt a local resolution endorsing the measure.

A member moved to approve the resolution and the motion was seconded; members discussed minor edits to the language (adding burdens and introductory text) and then approved the motion. The transcript records the motion and second, and members thanked the presenters for bringing the information to the court.

The resolution asks the state to increase county reimbursement for inmate housing and related costs; the court voted to approve local support and did not attach budgetary commitments from the county.

Next procedural steps in the transcript indicate staff will try to keep the court informed of committee assignments and to forward materials by email to the judge and other officials so they can contact state representatives about cosponsorship.

The motion carried and the resolution was accepted for transmittal; the court also discussed federal inmate counts and the relative financial differences when housing federal, state, and county inmates.