The Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law heard HB 1065, sponsored by Sen. Koch, regarding regional holding facilities for Level 6 felons incarcerated in jail. This bill allows a county sheriff to contract with the department of correction to transfer a confined jail offender from a county jail to a regional holding facility established and operated by the department of correction if the county jail is overcrowded. The bill further provides that reimbursements paid by the state to the county for the costs of incarcerating a confined jail offender shall be used to pay for a confined jail offender housed in either a regional holding facility or county jail.
An amendment was taken by consent to provide that a jail is considered to be “overcrowded” at or above 100 percent capacity. The amendment allows for unused and underutilized DOC facilities to serve as regional holding facilities. The facility would provide mental health and substance abuse treatment programs as well as educational opportunities.
Testifying in support of the bill were representatives from the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council; and the Indiana Sheriff’s Association. A treatment provider also testified in support of the bill. Testifying in opposition was the Indiana Public Defender Council. The amended bill passed 7-0.
Read the bill at: http://www.iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1065.