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1997 Session

Budget Amendments - SB700 (Committee Approved)

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Inmate Telephone Contract (JLARC) (language only)

Item 452 #4s

Item 452 #4s

Public Safety
Corrections, Department of

Language
Page 294, following line 52, insert:
"D.1. In procuring inmate telephone services to be effective January 1, 1998, the Department of Corrections shall consult with the Department of Information Technology in the development of the request for proposal (RFP), evaluation of the submitted responses to the RFP, and negotiations and development of the contract.
2. Effective January 1, 1998, rates charged recipients of inmate calls from Department of Corrections operated facilities shall not exceed collect call rates and surcharges charged public customers.  The cost of calls shall not exceed an industry dominant long distance carrier's interLATA and interstate rates for public long distance collect calls, or the serving local exchange carrier (LEC) for local or intraLATA rates for public collect calls including time and day of week sensitivity, when applicable, and shall utilize a least-cost routing system.  No additional charge for service shall be added to the cost of a call.
3. The Department of Corrections shall require the contractor to provide:
a. Inmate calling data in an automated format.  Data provided shall include, but not be limited to, originating telephone number, billed telephone number, date and time of call, length of call, surcharge, and toll or per minute charges.  The Department of Corrections, in consultation with the Department of Information Technology, shall develop procedures for automated audits and service evaluations of the inmate telephone system;
b. An annual report from an independent auditing firm verifying that the contractor's timing and billing systems are accurate and completely record all calls made; and,
c. The Department of Corrections with at least 30 days written notice of pending rate changes and the new rates to be charged."


Explanation
(This amendment requires certain specified adjustments in the contract for inmate telephone services, effective January 1, 1998, and consistent with the JLARC report entitled "Review of the Department of Corrections' Inmate Telephone System." This amendment will have the effect of reducing the surcharge per call to a level consistent with that paid for collect calls from public telephones, effective January 1, 1998, and will result in improved oversight of the system.)