Pay Jails for State Inmates

What's happening

Why it matters

1. 1

   Local governments will no longer be forced to absorb extra costs. By reimbursing the full, actual per-day cost of housing coram nobis inmates, cities and counties won’t have to cover the gap between the true cost and the outdated $20 cap, which often fell well below real expenses.

2. 2

   Budget predictability and fairness for municipalities. With costs now certified by local officials and approved by the state budget director, municipalities can expect more accurate, reliable compensation, reducing uncertainty in local correctional budgets.

3. 3

   Potential incentive for timely case resolution. Since the state will bear the full cost, there may be greater state-level motivation to resolve coram nobis cases efficiently, possibly leading to shorter stays in local jails and less administrative burden.

4. 4

   Shifts financial responsibility to the state. This amendment acknowledges that the obligation to house coram nobis inmates stems from state actions, ensuring the state—not local taxpayers—bears the financial consequences.

Who cares

• County governments operating jails or penitentiaries

  The bill would remove the $20 daily per-prisoner cap on state reimbursement for holding transferred state prisoners awaiting judicial review of their trials.

• Cities with at least one million residents operating city prisons

  They would qualify for reimbursement of actual daily per-prisoner care costs, subject to local certification and state budget director approval.

• Local officials certifying custody costs

  Their certified costs would become subject to approval by the state director of the budget.

• State director of the budget

  The bill would give the director approval authority over the certified local costs used to determine reimbursement.

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