AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CORRECTIONAL STAFF HEALTH AND SAFETY SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY ADVISORY COMMISSION.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CORRECTIONAL STAFF HEALTH AND SAFETY SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY ADVISORY COMMISSION.

This bill requires the Criminal Justice Policy Advisory Commission to establish a subcommittee on correctional staff health and safety. It must be composed of the (1) commissioners of correction, public safety, and mental health and addiction services, or their designees; (2) eight persons appointed one each by the chairpersons and ranking members of the Judiciary and Public Safety and Security committees; (3) one representative from each of the three local chapters of labor organizations representing correction officers, appointed by the local chapter; and (4) one representative from each of the labor organizations representing hazardous duty staff of the Department of Correction (DOC), appointed by the labor organization.

The bill requires the subcommittee to review DOC's policies and procedures on staff health and safety. The review must include the manner in which:

1. inmate assaults are investigated, classified, and assigned points;

2. data on inmate assaults is collected and compiled; and

3. data on inmate assaults is reported to people and agencies outside the department.

The bill requires the subcommittee to submit any recommendations it may have to the commission concerning revisions to policies and procedures.

*House Amendment “A” alters the membership of the health and safety subcommittee.

The commission (1) develops and recommends policies to prevent prison overcrowding, (2) examines the impact of statutes and administrative policies on overcrowding and recommends legislation, (3) researches and gathers data and information on efforts to prevent overcrowding and makes it available to criminal justice agencies and legislators, (4) advises the Criminal Justice Policy Planning Division (CJPPD) undersecretary on policies and procedures to promote more effective and cohesive criminal and juvenile justice systems and develop and implement the reentry strategy, and (5) assists the undersecretary in developing recommendations in reports and presentations.

The commission consists of the CJPPD undersecretary, chief court administrator; commissioners of correction, public safety, mental health and addiction services; chief state's attorney; chief public defender; Board of Pardons and Paroles chairman; Court Support Services Division executive director; eight members appointed by the governor including a police chief, representatives of offender and victim services, and government and public members; the labor and social services commissioners who can deliberate and vote only on matters concerning employment and entitlement programs available to adult and juvenile offenders reentering the community; and the children and families and education commissioners who can deliberate and vote only on juvenile justice matters.

Yea

Nay

(03/27/2009)