SF666 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Duties modification of certain facilities that confine people relating to phone calls and other communication services

Related bill: HF1861

AI Generated Summary

Senate Bill SF No 666 aims to enhance public safety and human services by ensuring that individuals confined in Minnesota's state-controlled juvenile and adult facilities have access to free communication services. This includes voice communication and may also feature video communication, email, or electronic messaging services. These services should not incur charges for either the sender or receiver.

The bill emphasizes that the introduction of these communication services should not replace in-person visitation rights at these facilities, except under specific emergency conditions like a declared emergency or a natural disaster.

Additionally, restrictions will be maintained on communication services to abide by any existing legal orders such as protection or no-contact orders.

The bill also mandates that the facilities cannot generate revenue from these communication services, although they can continue to collect previous contract-based commissions until these contracts are renegotiated or expire.

Furthermore, the Minnesota Department of Corrections is required to annually report on the usage, expenses, and contract statuses of these communication services to help monitor and optimize their implementation.

The definitions section clarifies what constitutes voice and other forms of communication, ensuring all terms are clearly understood and applied appropriately across various settings governed by the commissioner of corrections and the commissioner of human services.

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
January 26, 2025SenateFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
January 26, 2025SenateFloorActionReferred toJudiciary and Public Safety
March 23, 2025HouseFloorActionComm report: To pass and re-referred toHealth and Human Services
March 23, 2025SenateFloorActionComm report: To pass and re-referred toHealth and Human Services
March 23, 2025SenateFloorActionComm report: To pass and re-referred toHealth and Human Services
March 26, 2025SenateFloorActionWithdrawn and re-referred toHuman Services
April 06, 2025SenateFloorActionAuthor added

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "A provision requiring that such services must continue to be offered at levels available as of January 1, 2023."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill modifies requirements for free communication services available to incarcerated or confined persons in state facilities.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarification that neither the individual initiating nor receiving communication services is to be charged."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "241.252"
  }
]