Committee advances H.B. 294 requiring DOC studies on no‑cost phone service and inmate wages

The House Corrections & Institutions Committee on March 12 voted unanimously to pass draft 2.1 of House Bill 294, sending the measure out of committee after adding language that directs the Department of Corrections to study options for providing no‑cost telecommunication services to people in the department’s custody and to complete a separate wage‑impact valuation.

John Gray, Office of Legend of Council, told the committee the amendment is a strike‑all that narrows the bill’s focus to commissary and telecommunications prices in state correctional facilities and fair compensation for incarcerated labor. "This is a strikeall amendment to H294, which is an act relating to commissary and telecommunications prices in state correctional facilities and fair compensation for incarcerated labor," Gray said as he walked members through the new draft.

Why this matters: supporters said the two studies will give legislators the data needed to assess whether subsidizing communications or adjusting inmate wages would improve rehabilitation outcomes and reduce costs elsewhere. The telecommunications evaluation must describe the current service model, alternative delivery models (including nonprofit operators or a regulated public‑utility approach), startup and ongoing costs, budget impacts and anticipated changes in usage and behavior. The wage study must identify categories of inmate labor, estimate state costs if the work were performed by state employees or contractors, and compare different wage scenarios and their likely effects on family contact, restitution, re‑entry success and participation in work programs.

Committee debate focused on wording and scope. Members discussed replacing the phrase "persons incarcerated by the department" with "persons in the department’s custody" to make clear the measure pertains to inmates as statutorily defined and to address whether out‑of‑state beds (the committee referenced a Mississippi facility) should be included. Members also asked that the report distinguish in‑state and out‑of‑state populations where costs or systems differ.

The committee added the Public Utility Commission to the stakeholder list and removed the Office of the State Treasurer; it also directed DOC to consult nonprofit providers, CoreCivic (to ensure issues tied to the Mississippi facility are considered), family representatives, re‑entry providers and justice‑reform organizations when practicable.

On the wage study, committee members pressed for clarity about what "compare different wage impact scenarios" means in practice. Troy (staff member) illustrated the intent with a concrete example: "wages in this case average 65 cents an hour," and asked the department to model how raising wages to several alternative levels would change an incarcerated person’s ability to pay restitution, child support or commissary and telecommunications charges.

Chair Emmens moved the committee to a vote after the report and technical edits were finalized; Representative Joe moved the motion to pass draft 2.1 out favorably and Mary seconded. A roll call showed every member present voting yes: Representatives Casey, Galetti, Greer, Gregoire, Edric, Bruno, Met, Morrisy, Sweeney, Winner and Chair Emmens.

The committee instructed Conor, the bill reporter, to prepare a clean copy of draft 2.1, send it to the clerk’s office with the vote, and to bring the bill back for further consideration; members said the reports are intended to inform future action rather than enact immediate policy changes. The committee scheduled further markups next week and plans a related presentation by Michelle Charles on recidivism at 11:30 a.m.

What’s next: DOC is required to deliver the telecommunications and wage reports (first draft and updates as specified in the bill language) to the committees of jurisdiction, with key internal draft deadlines noted in committee discussion. The bill’s effective date is listed as upon passage, and the committee will review the clean 2.1 draft at its next meeting.