Panel finds favorable bill to end DOC supervisory fees, forgive outstanding balances
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Summary
The committee found H635 favorable after testimony from Legislative Council, JFO and the Department of Corrections; the bill removes DOC’s authority to impose supervisory fees, requires forgiveness of outstanding balances and directs DOC to cease collection activities, with an amended effective date of July 1, 2027.
The Ways & Means committee voted unanimously to find H635 favorable after receiving testimony that the bill would eliminate the Department of Corrections’ statutory authority to assess supervisory fees and require DOC to forgive and cease collection of outstanding supervisory fee balances.
John Gray of Legislative Council summarized the bill as removing the Commissioner of Corrections’ authority to impose supervisory fees under Title 28, and said it also requires DOC to notify the Secretary of State and repeal rules tied to that authority. An amendment sets the bill’s effective date to July 1, 2027, to give DOC implementation time.
Scott Moore of the Joint Fiscal Office told the committee the Department’s present practice is to charge $15 per person per month (statute permits up to $30). Moore said JFO’s materials showed multi‑year outstanding balances in the millions and that the bill would require forgiveness of that debt; because of the July 1, 2027 effective date, JFO said there would be no fiscal impact in the current fiscal year.
Kristen Cowver, Deputy Commissioner at DOC, characterized the supervisory fee as a long‑standing accountability measure but said the agency spends substantial staff time administering collections. She told the committee DOC’s experience is that collection efforts cost more in staff time and operating expense than the revenue recovered; she said DOC would not be eliminating staff positions if fees end and that staff would be reassigned to field and casework duties.
Committee members asked technical questions about how outstanding balances are recorded and whether operational costs would be affected; fiscal testimony said the largest outstanding balances reflected many years of arrears and that current operating costs for collection (transaction fees, postage) were modest compared with the total outstanding balances. Representative Kimball moved to find the bill favorable and Representative Brannigan seconded; the committee recorded an 11‑0‑0 roll call in favor of the amended bill.
