PA HB1506

State and county correctional institutions must provide free voice communication services to all inmates, with no fees charged to inmates or the people they call

Facilities must maintain at least a 10-to-1 ratio of inmates to operable voice communication devices in each housing unit or recreational yard, with a minimum of two devices per housing unit

Communication services cannot be used to replace in-person visit programs, and the law prohibits limiting or eliminating contact visits

30% of state appropriations for communication services must be allocated to counties proportionally based on their inmate populations

Takes effect 180 days after enactment; facilities must maintain at least the same level of communication access that existed on January 1, 2024