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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
HOUSE BILL 2517 By: Pittman
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to prisoner reentry; creating the
Oklahoma Prisoner Reentry Pilot Program ; stating
purpose of pilot program; requiring initiation of
pilot program in county with certain population;
requiring support for pilot program to be provided by
employees of the Department of Corrections;
specifying eligibility requirement; s tating duties of
support personnel; provi ding for individualized
reentry plans; itemizing list of potential services
available to inmates; authorizing the Department to
enter into public-private partnerships; authorizing
the acceptance of funds from philan thropic
organizations and federal grants; requiring an
assessment of the pilot program; directing the
Department to annually submit assessment report to
the Governor and Legislat ure; directing the
Department to promulgate policies; providing for
codification; and providing an effective date .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 510.8d of Title 57, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The State Department of Corrections shall establish the
Oklahoma Prisoner Reentry Pilot Program , as funds become available,
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for inmates under the jurisdiction of the Department who have been
sentenced to a term o f imprisonment and who are likely to benefit
from case management reentry strategies designed for the specific
needs of inmates transitioning from prison into the community. The
purpose of the pilot program shall be to implement evidence -based
practices and strategies that promote improved public safety
outcomes for inmates reentering society after serving a term of
incarceration and while released on parole .
B. The pilot program shall be initiated in a county that has a
population in excess of five h undred thousand (500,000) according to
the latest Federal Decennial Census. The pilot program shall be
supported by employees of the Department of Corrections focusing
primarily on case manag ement services for eligible inmates selected
for the pilot program. Any inmate with a medium or high risk of
felony arrest shall be eligible for p articipation in the pilot
program.
C. Employees of the Department shall assist inmates on parole
who are assigned to the pilot program in managing basic needs,
including housing, job training and placement, medical and mental
health care and any additional programming or responsibilities
attendant to the terms of the reentry requirements of the inmate.
Employees of the Department shall also work closely with the inmates
to prepare, monitor, revise, and fulfill individualized inmate
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reentry plans consiste nt with this section during the ter m of the
pilot program.
D. Individualized inmate reentry plans shall focus on
connecting inmates to services for which the inmate is eligible
under existing federal, state, and local laws.
E. Case management services sh all be prioritized for inmates
identified as potentially benefiting from assistance with the
following:
1. Food, including the immediate n eed and long-term planning
for obtaining food;
2. Clothing, including the immediate need to obtain appropriate
clothing;
3. Shelter, including the immediate need to obtain housing ;
4. Benefits including, but not limited to, general assistance,
benefits administered by the federal Socia l Security Administration,
Oklahoma Medicaid, and veterans benefits;
5. Health services, including accessing community mental
health, medical, and dental treatment;
6. Substance abuse services, including assisting inmates with
obtaining community substan ce abuse treatment or related 12-step
program information and locations;
7. Income, including developing and implementing a feasible
plan to obtain income and employment reflecting the highest level of
work appropriate for the abilities and experience of the inmate;
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8. Identification cards, including assisting reentering inmates
with obtaining driver licenses or state identification cards ;
9. Life skills, including assisting with the development of
skills concerning money m anagement, interviewing for jobs, resume
writing, and activities of daily living;
10. Activities, including workin g with reentering inmates in
choosing and engaging in suitable and productive activities ;
11. Support systems, including working with reenter ing inmates
on developing a support system which may consist of prosocial
friends, family, and community groups and activities such as
religious activities, recovery groups , and other social events;
12. Academic and vocational programs, including assisting
reentering inmates in developing and implementing a realistic plan
to achieve an academic education, vocational training, or both;
13. Discharge planning, including developing post parole plans
to sustain the achievements and goals of the reentering inmate to
ensure long-term community success; and
14. Transitional support services, including transportation
services, twenty-four-hour on-call support and conflict resolution
support.
F. The Department shall be authorized to enter into public-
private partnerships to assist in providing higher education
programs and reentry services for inmates and funding said program s
and services for the pilot program.
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G. The Department shall be authorized to accept funding for the
pilot program from philanthropic organizat ions or federal grants.
H. The Department shall contract for an evaluation of the pilot
program that will asse ss its effectiveness in reducing recidivism
among offenders transitioning from prison into the community.
I. The Department shall submit a repor t of the findings from
its evaluation of the pilot program to the Legislature and the
Governor annually for as long as the program is funded.
J. The State Department of Corrections is hereby authorized to
promulgate policies necessary to implement the pro visions of this
section.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
59-1-6713 GRS 01/19/23