Bill Text: VA HB912 | 2024 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Correctional facilities, local; stores and telephone systems, fees.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-04-04 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0402) [HB912 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HB912-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§53.1-115.2, 53.1-127.1, and 53.1-127.2 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§53.1-115.2. Establishment of stores in regional jails and regional jail farms.
The superintendent of a regional jail or regional jail farm
may, with the approval of the governing regional jail or jail farm board or
jail authority, provide for the establishment and operation of stores or
commissaries in regional jail or regional jail farm facilities to deal in such
articles as he deems proper. The net profits from the operation of such stores
shall be used within each facility respectively for educational, recreational,
or other beneficial purposes as may be prescribed by the superintendent
or medical purposes for the benefit of the inmates to include behavioral
health, substance abuse, reentry, and rehabilitative services for the benefit
of inmates and may be expended to pay for the training, salaries, and benefits
of employees or contractors whose primary job is to provide such programs and
services to the inmates.
§53.1-127.1. Establishment of stores in local correctional facilities.
Each sheriff who operates a correctional facility is
authorized to provide for the establishment and operation of a store or
commissary to deal in such articles and services as he deems proper. The net
profits from the operation of such store that are generated from the inmates'
accounts shall be used within the facility for educational, recreational or
other medical purposes for the benefit of the inmates as may be
prescribed by the sheriff to include behavioral health, substance abuse,
reentry, and rehabilitative services for the benefit of inmates and may be
expended to pay for the training, salaries, and benefits of employees or
contractors whose primary job is to provide such programs and services to the
inmates. Any other profits may be used for the general operation of the
sheriff's office. The sheriff shall be the purchasing agent in all matters
involving the commissary and nonappropriated funds received from inmates. The
funds from such operation of a store or commissary and from the inmate
telephone services account shall be considered public funds.
§53.1-127.2. Fees for telephonic communication systems and electronic visitation and messaging systems for prisoners in local correctional facilities.
Each sheriff or jail superintendent who operates a local correctional facility that utilizes a telephonic communication system, an electronic visitation system, or electronic messaging system, including Voice-over-Internet Protocol technology and web-based communication systems, for communication between prisoners and third parties is authorized to provide for the establishment and collection of a fee for the system utilized. However, no fee shall be charged for communication between prisoners and third parties within any local correctional facility or appurtenance thereto operated or controlled by the sheriff or jail superintendent. The net profits from the operation of such systems shall be used within each facility respectively for educational, recreational, or medical purposes for the benefit of the inmates to include behavioral health, substance abuse, reentry, and rehabilitative services for the benefit of inmates and may be expended to pay for the training, salaries, and benefits of employees or contractors whose primary job is to provide such programs and services to the inmates.
This section does not apply to telephonic communication
systems or to electronic video and or audio communication systems
used in judicial proceedings.
