2023 -- H 6310
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LC002761
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTME NT
Introduced By: Representatives Diaz, Giraldo, Alzate, Edwards, Perez, Vella-Wilkinson,
Batista, Biah, Morales, and Hull
Date Introduced: April 21, 2023
Referred To: House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 42-56-22 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-56 entitled "Corrections 1
Department" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
42-56-22. Labor by persons committed on mesne process or to answer criminal 3
charge. 4
(a) Every person who shall be committed to the adult correctional institutions to answer for 5
any criminal offense, whether convicted or awaiting trial, or on mesne process in any qui tam or 6
penal action, or on mesne process or execution in any civil action, may be permitted to labor in the 7
discretion of the director, or his or her designee, for the state, and in that case may be paid not more 8
than three dollars ($3.00) six dollars ($6.00) a day for every day he or she shall labor with the 9
express consent of the director, or his or her designee, of the department, to be credited to the 10
prisoner’s account by the assistant director of administration, or his or her designee, and to be 11
disbursed to the prisoner in accordance with the rules and regulations of the institutions; provided, 12
further, however, there shall be maintained on account at all times at least twenty-five percent 13
(25%) of the earnings of each prisoner up to a maximum of one hundred dollars ($100) for those 14
persons serving a sentence of life imprisonment without parole under §§ 11-23-2, 12-19.2-1 et seq., 15
and up to a maximum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for all other prisoners; those funds to be 16
turned over to the prisoner at the time of his or her release from the institution, the funds being his 17
or her property; the moneys to be paid to the prisoner by order of the assistant director of 18
management services upon the general treasurer. 19
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(b) Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the use of the funds in the account for 1
the payment of any court fees and court costs required to be paid for the filing, prosecution, and 2
defense of any action. 3
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 4
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTME NT
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This act would increase the wage amount for working prisoners, committed to the adult 1
correctional institution, from three dollars ($3.00) a day to six dollars ($6.00) a day. 2
This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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