HB774--DEPARTMENTOFCORRECTIONSOMBUDSMAN
SPONSOR: Allen
Thisbillcreatesapublichearingandcommentperiodforthe
appointmentoftheDirectoroftheDepartmentofCorrections(DOC)
bytheGovernor. Correctionalstaffwillbeincludedinthehiring
processforinstitutionalandadministrative staff.
Thisbillestablishesthe"OfficeoftheDepartmentofCorrections
Ombudsperson".
TheOfficewillconsistofaninspectionsectionandacomplaints
investigationsection. TheDepartmentofCorrectionsOmbudsman's
Officewillhavetheauthorityto:
(1)Provideinformationregardingtherightsofinmates,staff,
andtheirfamilies;
(2)MonitorconditionsofconfinementandassessDepartment
compliancewithStateandFederalrulesandregulations;
(3)Providetechnicalassistancetosupportinmatesandstaff;
(4)Assistlocalgovernmentsinthecreationofjailoversight
bodies;
(5)Establishastatewideuniformreportingsystemtoanalyzedata
relatedtocomplaintsreceivedbytheDepartment;
(6)Promulgaterulesandregulationstoenforcetheprovisionsof
thebill;
(7)Establishprocedurestogatherstakeholderinputintothe
Office'sactivitiesandpriorities;
(8)InspecteachDOCfacilityatleastonceannually,andeach
facilitywheretheOfficehasfoundcauseformorefrequent
inspectionormonitoringatleasttwiceannually;
(9)Issueperiodicinspectionreportsandanannualreport;
(10)InvestigateincidentsinDOCfacilities;
(11)Hirestaffandsecurespaceandequipmentasnecessary;
(12)Contractwithexpertsasneeded;
(13)OverseetheoperationsoftheOffice;and (14)Prepareabudget.
TheOfficewillhavereasonableaccess,upondemand,toall
Departmentfacilitiesandtoprogramsforincarceratedpeopleat
reasonabletimes.Thisauthorityincludestheabilitytointerview
inmatesandstaffofcorrectionalinstitutions. Thepurposesof
interviewsandallowablemethodsforconductingthemarespecified
inthebill.TheOfficehastherighttoaccessrecordsand
documentsofDOCthattheOfficeconsidersnecessarytoan
investigation. TheOfficewillhavesubpoenapowertothisend.
Timelinesforfulfillingrecordsrequestsareprovidedinthebill.
TheOfficemustworkwiththeDepartmenttominimizedisruptionto
itsoperations.
Correspondence betweentheOfficeandincarceratedpeopleandstaff
willbeconfidentialandnotconsideredapublicrecordforthe
purposeofMissouriSunshineLaw.TheOfficewillestablishrules
toensuretheconfidentiality ofcomplainantsbefore,during,and
afteraninvestigation.
TheOfficewillproduceanannualreportbyDecember31steach
year,tobemadeavailabletothepublicanddeliveredtothe
Governor,theGeneralAssembly,andtheDirectoroftheDepartment
ofCorrections. Contentsoftheannualreportareprovidedinthe
bill,butincludeinspectionandinvestigationreportsand
recommendations forimprovementstoDOCfacilitiesandprograms.
Thebillalsoestablishesa"CorrectionsOversightCommittee".
Membershipincludes:twomembersoftheSenateappointedbythe
PresidentProTemandwhoarenotofthesamepoliticalparty;two
membersoftheHouseofRepresentatives appointedbytheSpeaker
andwhoarenotofthesamepoliticalparty;andseveralmembers,
asspecifiedinthebill,whoareappointedbytheGovernor. The
CommitteemustbeestablishedbyJanuary1,2026andtheterm
lengthformembersisprovidedinthebill.
TheCommitteemustholdatleastonepublichearingeachyearto
discusstheOffice'sinspections,findings,reports,and
recommendations. Itmustalsomeetquarterlytodiscussfindings
oftheOfficeastheCommitteedeterminesrelevant. TheCommittee
may,initsdiscretion,issuefindings,recommendations, andpolicy
andlegislativeproposals.
TheCommitteewillbegiventhesameaccesstofacilities,records
andpeoplewithinfacilitiesastheOffice.TheCommitteewill
havethepowertosubpoenaDepartmentrecordsandstaffonlyinthe
eventthatthepositionofOmbudspersonisvacant.Accompaniedby
theOffice,theCommitteemustvisittwocorrectionalfacilities duringeachcalendaryear.TheCommitteemustappointan
Ombudsperson,toserveatermofsixyears.TheOmbudspersonmay
beremovedforgoodcausebyamajorityvoteofthecommittee.
TheOfficemustperiodicallyinspecteachDepartmentfacilityand
isrequiredtoinspecteachcorrectionfacilityandreleasea
publicreportbyAugust28,2027.Inspectionswillinclude
assessmentsofDepartmentpoliciesandconditions,asspecifiedin
thebill.Uponcompletionofaninspection,theOfficewill
produceapublicreportdescribingitsfindings. Contentsofthe
reportareprovidedinthebill.Uponcompletionofaninspection,
theOfficemustassignthefacilityasafetyandcompliance
classification, asprovidedinthebill.Tierswithinthis
classification systemwilldeterminethefrequencyofinspections
inthefuture.TheDepartmentofCorrectionsmustrespondtoeach
inspectionreportinwritingandcreatecorrectiveactionplansto
addressproblemsflaggedinthereports.
TheOfficemayinitiateaninvestigationonitsowninitiativeor
basedonacomplaintfromanincarceratedperson,aninmate's
representative, afamilymember,orcorrectionalstaff.Procedures
forinvestigations arespecifiedinthebill.TheOfficecannot
levyfeesforitsservicesandmayreferthecomplaintto
appropriateresourcesorStateorFederalagencies. Atthe
conclusionofaninvestigationofacomplainttheOfficewill
renderapublicdecisiononthecomplaint,andcommunicatethe
decisiontotheinmate,ifapplicable,andtheDepartment.
IftheOfficerequests,theDepartmentwillinformtheOfficein
writingaboutanyactiontakenbasedontheOffice's
recommendations, orreasonsfornotcomplyingwiththose
recommendations. IftheOfficebelievestherehasbeenorisa
significanthealth,safety,welfare,orrehabilitation issue,the
OfficemustreportitsfindingstotheGovernor,theAttorney
General,theGeneralAssembly,andtheDirectoroftheDepartment
ofCorrections. TheDepartmentofCorrectionsmustnotretaliate
againstanypersonforfilingacomplaint.
TheOfficemustcreateanonlineformtobemadeavailableonits
websitewhereinfamilymembers,friends,andadvocatescansubmit
complaintsandinquiriesregardingspecifiedissuesonbehalfof
inmates. Asimilarformwillbedevelopedforinmateuse.Upon
receiptofaform,theOfficewillconfirmreceipt,determine
whetheraninvestigationiswarranted,andprovideawritten
statementregardingitsdecisiontothecomplainant.
TheOfficemustalsocreateatelephonehotlinethroughwhich
complaintsandinquiriesonbehalfofinmatesmaybefiled. Correspondence withtheOfficewillbeconfidential. TheOffice
willestablishrulesandproceduresforconfidentiality.
ThisbillissimilartoHB2689(2024).