Bill Text: VA SB378 | 2025 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: State correctional facilities; DOC to provide telephone calls and communication services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-31 - Continued to 2025 in Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) [SB378 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2025-SB378-Prefiled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§53.1-1.1 and 53.1-35.1 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§53.1-1.1. Telephone systems within correctional facilities.
The Department of Corrections shall offer
debit or prepaid telephone systems, in addition to any existing collect calling
systems, which provide telephone systems
that allow telephone calls to be placed to the telephone
number or numbers on an approved call list. Such telephone systems may be established with the lowest available rates shall be provided free of charge to any person
initiating or receiving the telephone call. The maximum number of telephone
numbers permitted on an approved call list shall be no fewer than 20. A minimum
ratio of one telephone per every 10 inmates shall be available within each
housing unit at each correctional facility. The Department shall not receive
any commission from such telephone systems.
§53.1-35.1. Electronic visitation and messaging with inmates.
The Director is authorized to prescribe reasonable rules
regarding electronic visitation systems or electronic messaging systems,
including Voice-over-Internet Protocol technology and web-based communication
systems, for communication between prisoners and third parties and collection of a fee for the system utilized. Any such electronic communication service shall be
provided free of charge to the person initiating or receiving the service.
Any state correctional facility that utilizes such systems shall establish such
system allowing for the security needs of the facility. Any state correctional
facility that utilizes such system shall not (i)
prohibit in-person visitation; (ii)
exclude any inmate from using the system, except for temporary,
appealable disciplinary purposes in direct response to misuse of the system by
an inmate; or (iii) receive any
commission for installation or operation of the system. The
Department may temporarily limit the use of the system during periods of
heightened security or emergencies.
This section does not apply to telephonic communication systems or to electronic video and audio communication systems used in judicial proceedings.
