Senator Jamilah Nasheed Presents Boarding Bill to Public Safety Committee
JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, has secured a committee hearing for one of her top priorities before the Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee on Thursday, Jan. 11. Senator Nasheed is the first Democrat to have a bill heard in committee this legislative session.
Senate Bill 583 is a priority for Sen. Nasheed this legislative session and the proposal deals with the cost of incarceration for prisoners. Under current law, the cost of incarceration for a prisoner cannot exceed $37.50 per day per prisoner, but also cannot be less than the amount of money spent in the previous year. SB 583 would change the second provision to have spending be no less than 90 percent of the $37.50 maximum.
“These funds are vital to maintaining our state’s correctional facilities,” said Sen. Nasheed. “We sadly have a problem with inadequate infrastructure in our state. We cannot allow our prison and jail systems to fall into the same situation of disrepair.”
In addition, this legislation would help bare the cost of incarceration.
“This is meant to ensure that prisoners are treated humanely and to provide the state with adequate resources to deal with them,” said Sen. Nasheed. “This puts in place a clear standard for the cost of the care for these prisoners as they pay their debts to society without breaking the bank.”
The hearing will be held in the Senate Lounge on Jan. 11 at 8:30 a.m.