2022 -- S 2720

========

LC005187

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT

     Introduced By: Senators Mack, Anderson, Calkin, Mendes, Bell, Kallman, and DiMario

     Date Introduced: March 17, 2022

     Referred To: Senate Labor

     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

Department" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     42-56-22. Labor by persons committed on mesne process or to answer criminal

charge.

     (a) Every person who shall be committed to the adult correctional institutions to answer for

any criminal offense, whether convicted or awaiting trial, or on mesne process in any qui tam or

penal action, or on mesne process or execution in any civil action, may be permitted to labor in the

discretion of the director, or his or her designee, for the state, and in that case may be paid not more

than three dollars ($3.00) a day for every day in accordance with the minimum hourly wage set in

§ 28-12-3 for every day he or she shall labor with the express consent of the director, or his or her

designee, of the department, to be credited to the prisoner's account by the assistant director of

administration, or his or her designee, and to be disbursed to the prisoner in accordance with the

rules and regulations of the institutions; provided, further, however, there shall be maintained on

account at all times at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the earnings of each prisoner up to a

maximum of one hundred dollars ($100) for those persons serving a sentence of life imprisonment

without parole under §§ 11-23-2, 12-19.2-1 et seq., and up to a maximum of one thousand dollars

($1,000) for all other prisoners; those funds to be turned over to the prisoner at the time of his or

her release from the institution, the funds being his or her property; the moneys to be paid to the

prisoner by order of the assistant director of management services upon the general treasurer.

     (b) Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the use of the funds in the account for

the payment of any court fees and court costs required to be paid for the filing, prosecution, and

defense of any action.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC005187

========

LC005187 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT

***

     This act would increase the wage amount for working prisoners, committed to the adult

correctional institution, from three dollars ($3.00) a day to the minimum hourly wage amount for

most workers currently set at twelve dollars and twenty-five cents ($12.25) per hour.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC005187

========

LC005187 - Page 3 of 3