CS/CS/HB 7131 - Corrections Summary

• Creates five geographical regions for Department of Corrections security and institutional operations, each with an appointed director serving up to 4 consecutive years with specified oversight duties including facility inspections, use-of-force reviews, and maintaining retaliation-free environments.

• Exempts all positions in the Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General from the Career Service System and appropriates $180,000 for 2015-2016 to set salaries according to Selected Exempt Service rules.

• Requires Criminal Justice Estimating Conference to develop projections of prison admissions and populations for elderly felony offenders.

• Prohibits inmates convicted of specified sexual offenses on or after October 1, 2014 from receiving incentive gain-time credits for high school equivalency diplomas or vocational certificates.

• Establishes policies requiring video recording of all non-reactionary chemical agent use-of-force incidents, implements body camera pilot program at Union Correctional Institution mental health units, and creates authorization for counties to contract with the Department to house qualifying offenders in county jails for up to 24 months.