| Chapter 174 |
| 2025 -- S 0296 Enacted 06/24/2025 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT |
Introduced By: Senators Murray, Bell, McKenney, Euer, Lauria, LaMountain, Bissaillon, Acosta, and Burke |
| Date Introduced: February 13, 2025 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 42-56-20.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-56 entitled |
| "Corrections Department" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 42-56-20.3. Community correctional program for women offenders. |
| (a) Program established. In addition to the provisions of § 42-56-20.2, there shall be |
| established within the department of corrections a community correctional program for women |
| offenders. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the department of corrections may |
| contract with private agencies to carry out the provisions of this section. The civil liability of these |
| agencies and their employees, acting within the scope of their employment, and carrying out the |
| provisions of this section, shall be limited in the same manner and dollar amount as if they were |
| agencies or employees of the state. |
| (b) Persons subject to this section. Every person who is either sentenced to imprisonment |
| in the women’s division of the adult correctional institutions for a term of two (2) years or less or |
| awaiting trial at the women’s division of the adult correctional institutions shall be eligible to serve |
| in the community confinement program for women offenders under the provisions of this section. |
| (c) Terms of community correctional program. |
| (1) The director, or the director’s designee, shall refer persons eligible to serve in the |
| community correctional program to the program director of the community correctional program. |
| The program director shall be responsible for developing with each person an individualized plan, |
| which shall be designed toward providing her an opportunity for rehabilitation and restitution. Each |
| plan shall assess the need for, and provide for, employment, vocational or academic education, |
| housing, restitution, community service, or any other social service or counseling need appropriate |
| to the particular woman. Each plan shall be submitted to the director of the department of |
| corrections, or the director’s designee, for approval. |
| (2) Upon approval by the director, or the director’s designee, of the plan, the plan shall be |
| submitted to the sentencing judge for the sentencing judge’s approval. Upon the court’s approval, |
| the person shall be released from the adult correctional institutions for participation in the |
| community correctional program. The supervision of persons so released shall be conducted by the |
| director, or the director’s designee. The director, or the director’s designee, shall have the full power |
| and authority set forth in § 42-56-20.2. |
| (d) Violations. Any person serving in the community correctional program who is found |
| to be a violator of any of the terms and conditions imposed upon her according to her plan, this |
| section, or any rules, regulations, or restrictions issued pursuant hereto shall serve the balance of |
| her sentence in a classification deemed appropriate by the director. |
| (e) Costs. |
| (1) Assessment of additional penalty for prostitution-related offenses. There shall be |
| assessed as a penalty, in addition to those provided by law, against all defendants charged under § |
| 11-34.1-1 et seq., who plead nolo contendere or guilty, or who are found guilty of the commission |
| of those crimes as follows: |
| (i) Where the offense charged is a felony, the assessment shall be in the amount of five |
| hundred dollars ($500), or ten percent (10%) of any fine imposed on the defendant by the court, |
| whichever is greater; |
| (ii) Where the offense charged is a misdemeanor, the assessment shall be in the amount of |
| three hundred and fifty dollars ($350), or ten percent (10%) of any fine imposed on the defendant |
| by the court, whichever is greater; |
| (iii) Costs shall be assessed whether or not the defendant is sentenced to prison. |
| (2) When there are multiple counts or multiple charges to be disposed of simultaneously, |
| the judge may, in the judge’s discretion, suspend the obligation of the defendant to pay on more |
| than three (3) counts or charges. |
| (3) The assessment shall be deposited as general revenues. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC000995 |
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