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Bracken County fiscal court backs House Bill 557 to help counties cover jail costs
Summary
Magistrate Craig Miller urged the court to approve a resolution supporting House Bill 557, which local officials say would create regional jail funding and could provide counties up to $500,000 to offset jail expenses; the court voted to approve the resolution.
Bracken County Fiscal Court voted to adopt a resolution urging the Kentucky General Assembly to pass House Bill 557, a measure county leaders said is intended to create more regional jail funding and help counties offset rising incarceration costs.
Magistrate Craig Miller, who led the presentation, said the Kentucky Association of County and other county organizations have made the bill a top priority in the General Assembly. "Counties such as us could receive up to $500,000, to help offset cost," Miller said, summarizing the relief the measure aims to provide.
Miller told the court the bill would promote a more regional approach to jail operations and funding and that jailers and county judge/executive associations were pressing the issue during legislative visits in Frankfort. He said Representative Michael Meredith had recently filed the bill and that local legislators were being asked to cosponsor it.
The resolution received a motion, a second and a roll-call vote and was approved by the court.
Why it matters: County officials said the measure is intended to address a longstanding funding gap between state per-diem payments and actual incarceration costs borne by local governments. Supporters argued the resolution signals to legislators that counties with jails need additional, dedicated resources.
Next steps: Magistrate Miller said he expects the bill to move through the legislature in the coming week or two and encouraged members to follow up with state representatives and Senator Fromire about local priorities.
