2023 -- H 6491
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LC003162
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
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 Batista, Felix, J. Lombardi, Dawson, Potter, McEntee,
Knight, Alzate, Solomon, and Sanchez
Date Introduced: June 07, 2023
Referred To: House Judiciary
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) a day for every day he or she shall labor with the express consent of the 9
director, or his or her designee, of the department, to be credited to the prisoner’s account by the 10
assistant director of administration, or his or her designee, and to be disbursed to the prisoner in 11
accordance with the rules and regulations of the institutions; provided, further, however, there shall 12
be maintained on account at all times at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the earnings of each 13
prisoner up to a maximum of one hundred dollars ($100) for those persons serving a sentence of 14
life imprisonment without parole under §§ 11-23-2, 12-19.2-1 et seq., and up to a maximum of one 15
thousand dollars ($1,000) two thousand dollars ($2,000) 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 GOVERNME NT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTME NT
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This act would increase the maximum amount maintained in a prisoners account from one 1
thousand dollars ($1,000) to two thousand dollars ($2,000), with said funds to be turned over to the 2
prisoner at the time of their release from incarceration. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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