03/21/1995 01:36 PM House FIN

  HOUSE BILL NO. 200                                                           
                                                                               
       "An Act  reassigning responsibility for  the custody of                 
       persons pending  their arraignments, commitment  to the                 
       custody   of  the   commissioner  of   corrections,  or                 
       admission  to  a   state  correctional  facility,   and                 
       authorizing the  commissioner of corrections  to employ                 
       guards  for  emergencies  on  the  same  basis  as  the                 
       commissioner  of  public  safety,  as partially  exempt                 
       service  employees;  and  providing  for  an  effective                 
       date."                                                                  
                                                                               
  Representative Mulder  testified in support  of HB 200.   He                 
  noted  that  the  legislation transfers  the  Contract Jails                 
  Program  from  the  Department  of   Public  Safety  to  the                 
  Department  of Corrections.  He noted  that the transfer was                 
  recommended by Governor  Hickel's Organizational  Efficiency                 
  Task  Force.   He noted  that community  jail  programs have                 
  grown.  He observed that  the House Finance Subcommittee for                 
  the Department of  Corrections recommended increased funding                 
  for   community   jails   for  upgrades   in   training  and                 
  maintenance.                                                                 
                                                                               
  In  response   to  a  question   by  Representative   Brown,                 
  Representative  Mulder  clarified   that  the   commissioner                 
  referred  to in sections 1 and 2  is the commissioner of the                 
  Department of Corrections.                                                   
                                                                               
  JERRY  SHRINER,  DEPARTMENT  OF CORRECTIONS  explained  that                 
  section 3  provides for the hiring of  temporary guards when                 
  necessary due to over crowding or employee illness.  Section                 
  3  provides  that  in  order to  hire  temporary  guards  at                 
  additional  costs  to  the contract  that  approval  must be                 
  obtained   by   the  commissioner   of  the   Department  of                 
  Corrections.                                                                 
                                                                               
  In  response  to  a question  by  Representative  Brown, Mr.                 
  Shriner clarified  that the contractual  arrangement between                 
  the state and local communities is not in statute.                           
                                                                               
  Representative Brown questioned the lack  of an accompanying                 
  fiscal note by the  Department of Corrections.   Mr. Shriner                 
  explained  that a  fiscal  note was  not included,  with the                 
  understanding  that  funding  for   the  transfer  would  be                 
  included  in  the  FY  96  budget.    Representative  Mulder                 
  observed  that funding  was included  in the  Subcommittee's                 
  recommendation.                                                              
                                                                               
  Mr. Shriner stated  that the Commissioner is  concerned that                 
  the  funding  level  recommended  by  the   Subcommittee  is                 
  approximately $1.0 million dollars below the level needed to                 
                                                                               
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  operate the facilities.   He  observed that some  facilities                 
  have indicated  that they  will not  continue to  operate if                 
  full funding is not provided.                                                
                                                                               
  Representative Mulder  observed that  the amount  identified                 
  for transfer from  the Department of Public  Safety's budget                 
  was $3.7 million  dollars.   The Department of  Corrections'                 
  request was  $5.8    million  dollars.   The  House  Finance                 
  Committee  Subcommittee for  the  Department of  Corrections                 
  recommended  funding  the  Contract  Jail  Program  at  $4.6                 
  million dollars.                                                             
                                                                               
  Representative Foster MOVED to report CSHB 200 (FIN) out  of                 
  Committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  with  the                 
  accompanying fiscal note.                                                    
                                                                               
  HB  200  was reported  out  of  Committee with  a  "do pass"                 
  recommendation and with a zero fiscal note by the Department                 
  of Public Safety, dated 3/14/95.