Department of Corrections budget deficiencies appropriation, the official text

A bill for an act relating to corrections; appropriating money for deficiencies in the budget of the Department of Corrections; amending Laws 2023, chapter 52, article 2, section 6, as amended.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Laws 2023, chapter 52, article 2, section 6, as amended by Laws 2024, chapter 123, article 1, section 12, and Laws 2024, chapter 123, article 1, section 13, is amended to read:

Sec. 6. CORRECTIONS

Subdivision 1.

Total Appropriation

$

12,643,000

$

797,937,000

$

825,675,000

The amounts that may be spent for each purpose are specified in the following subdivisions.

Subd. 2.

Incarceration and Prerelease Services

$

12,643,000

$

534,412,000

$

561,421,000

(a) Operating Deficiency

$12,643,000 in fiscal year 2023 is to meet financial obligations in fiscal year 2023. This is a onetime appropriation.

(b) Body-worn Camera Program

$1,000,000 each year is to create a body-worn camera program for corrections officers and intensive supervised release agents. This appropriation is onetime.

(c) ARMER Radio System

$1,500,000 each year is to upgrade and maintain the ARMER radio system within correctional facilities. This is a onetime appropriation.

(d) Prison Rape Elimination Act

$500,000 each year is for Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) compliance.

(e) State Corrections Safety and Security

$1,932,000 each in fiscal year is 2024 and $1,632,000 in fiscal year 2025 are for state corrections safety and security investments. The base for this appropriation is $2,625,000 beginning in fiscal year 2026.

(f) Health Services

$2,750,000 each year is for increased health care services. The base for this appropriation is $3,400,000 beginning in fiscal year 2026.

(g) Educational Programming and Support Services

$5,600,000 the first year and $4,000,000 $1,000,000 the second year are for educational programming and support services. The base for this purpose is $2,000,000 beginning in fiscal year 2026.

(h) Family Support Unit

$480,000 each year is for a family support unit.

(i) Inmate Phone Calls

$3,100,000 each year is to provide voice communication services for incarcerated persons under Minnesota Statutes, section 241.252. Any unencumbered balance remaining at the end of the first year may be carried forward into the second year. If this appropriation is greater than the cost of providing voice communication services, remaining funds must be used to offset the cost of other communication services.

(j) Virtual Court Coordination

$500,000 each year is for virtual court coordination and modernization.

(k) Supportive Arts for Incarcerated Persons

$425,000 the first year is for supportive arts for incarcerated persons grants as provided for in section 17. Of this amount, up to ten percent is for administration, including facility space, access, liaison, and monitoring. Any unencumbered balance remaining at the end of the first year does not cancel but is available for this purpose in the second year.

(l) Successful Re-entry

$375,000 the first year and $875,000 $375,000 the second year are for reentry initiatives, including a culturally specific release program for Native American incarcerated individuals. The base for this appropriation beginning in fiscal year 2026 is $875,000.

(m) Evidence-based Correctional Practices Unit

$750,000 each in fiscal year is 2024 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2025 are to establish and maintain a unit to direct and oversee the use of evidence-based correctional practices across the department and supervision delivery systems. The base for this appropriation beginning in fiscal year 2026 is $750,000.

(n) Interstate Compact for Adult Supervision; Transfer Expense Reimbursement

$250,000 each year is for reimbursements under Minnesota Statutes, section 243.1609. This is a onetime appropriation.

(o) Task Force on Aiding and Abetting Felony Murder

$25,000 the first year is for costs associated with the revival of the task force on aiding and abetting felony murder.

(p) Incarceration and Prerelease Services Base Budget

The base for incarceration and prerelease services is $552,775,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $553,043,000 in fiscal year 2027.

(q) Reallocation

Up to $4,050,000 in fiscal year 2025 may be used for other financial obligations.

Subd. 3.

Community Supervision and Postrelease Services

189,939,000

190,953,000

(a) Community Supervision Funding

$143,378,000 each year is for community supervision services. This appropriation shall be distributed according to the community supervision formula in Minnesota Statutes, section 401.10.

(b) Tribal Nation Supervision

$2,750,000 each year is for Tribal Nations to provide supervision or supportive services pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 401.10.

(c) (b) Postrelease Sex Offender Program

$1,915,000 each year is for postrelease sex offender treatment services and initiatives.

(d) (c) Community Supervision Advisory Committee

$75,000 the first year is to fund the community supervision advisory committee under Minnesota Statutes, section 401.17.

(e) (d) Regional and County Jails Study and Report

$150,000 the first year is to fund the commissioner's study and report on the consolidation or merger of county jails and alternatives to incarceration for persons experiencing mental health disorders.

(f) (e) Work Release Programs

$500,000 each year is for work release programs.

(g) (f) County Discharge Plans

$80,000 each year is to develop model discharge plans pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 641.155. This appropriation is onetime.

(h) (g) Housing Initiatives

$2,130,000 each in fiscal year is 2024 and $880,000 in fiscal year 2025 are for housing initiatives to support stable housing of incarcerated individuals upon release. The base for this purpose beginning in fiscal year 2026 is $1,685,000. Of this amount:

(1) $1,000,000 each year is for housing stabilization prerelease services and program evaluation. The base for this purpose beginning in fiscal year 2026 is $760,000;

(2) $500,000 each year is for rental assistance for incarcerated individuals approaching release, on supervised release, or on probation who are at risk of homelessness;

(3) $405,000 each year is for culturally responsive trauma-informed transitional housing. The base for this purpose beginning in fiscal year 2026 is $200,000; and

(4) $225,000 each year is for housing coordination activities.

(i) (h) Community Supervision and Postrelease Services Base Budget

The base for community supervision and postrelease services is $189,272,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $189,172,000 in fiscal year 2027.

(j) (i) Naloxone

$2,000 each year is to purchase naloxone for supervised release agents to use to respond to overdoses.

(j) Reallocation

Up to $5,750,000 in fiscal year 2025 may be used for other financial obligations.

Subd. 4.

Organizational, Regulatory, and Administrative Services

73,586,000

73,301,000

(a) Public Safety Data Infrastructure

$22,914,000 the first year and $22,915,000 the second year are for technology modernization and the development of an information-sharing and data-technology infrastructure. The base for this purpose is $4,097,000 beginning in fiscal year 2026. Any unspent funds from the current biennium do not cancel and are available in the next biennium.

(b) Supervised Release Board

$40,000 each year is to establish and operate the supervised release board pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 244.049.

(c) Recruitment and Retention

$3,200,000 the first year and $400,000 the second year are for recruitment and retention initiatives. Of this amount, $2,800,000 the first year is for staff recruitment, professional development, conflict resolution, and staff wellness, and to contract with community collaborative partners who specialize in trauma recovery.

(d) Clemency Review Commission

$986,000 the first year is for the clemency review commission described in Minnesota Statutes, section 638.09. Of this amount, $200,000 each year is for grants to support outreach and clemency application assistance. Any unencumbered balance remaining in the first year does not cancel, but must be transferred to the Clemency Review Commission by July 30, 2024. Funds transferred under this paragraph are available until June 30, 2025.

(e) Accountability and Transparency

$1,000,000 each in fiscal year is 2024 and $800,000 in fiscal year 2025 are for accountability and transparency initiatives. The base for this appropriation is $1,480,000 beginning in fiscal year 2026.

(f) Organizational, Regulatory, and Administrative Services Base Budget

The base for organizational, regulatory, and administrative services is $54,863,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $54,663,000 in fiscal year 2027.

(g) Reallocation

Up to $200,000 in fiscal year 2025 may be used for other financial obligations.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; INCARCERATION AND PRERELEASE SERVICES.

$9,091,000 in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of corrections for the operating deficiency in incarceration and prerelease services. Any balance remaining in this appropriation may be transferred to other programs within the department. This is a onetime appropriation.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment.