S.J.R. 10

1

JOINT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING
2 GARFIELD COUNTY EXPANSION OF
3 CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
4 2007 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Dennis E. Stowell
7 House Sponsor: Michael E. Noel
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This joint resolution of the Legislature supports jail expansion in Garfield County
12 through a contract with the Utah Department of Corrections.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 . supports Garfield County's expansion of its correctional facilities by means of a
16 contract between the county and the Utah Department of Corrections.
17 Special Clauses:
18 None
19
20 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
21 WHEREAS, counties contract with the Department of Corrections to provide prison
22 bed space for state prisoners;
23 WHEREAS, this contracting arrangement has proved beneficial to both the state and
24 the counties and saved taxpayers from the burden of building new state correctional facilities
25 while at the same time assisting counties to meet their own correctional space needs;
26 WHEREAS, in accordance with Utah Code Annotated, Subsection 64-13c-401 (1), "the
27 department [of Corrections] may enter into a contract with a county government to house

28 inmates only if the Legislature has previously passed a joint resolution" containing the
29 approximate number of beds contracted, the county's average daily rate the department will pay
30 the county per inmate, and the approximate amount of the county's long-term debt and the
31 length of that debt for the facility where the inmates are to be housed;
32 WHEREAS, the approximate number of beds to be contracted in Garfield County is 80;
33 WHEREAS, Garfield County's average daily rate the department will pay the county
34 per inmate, as determined under Title 64, Chapter 13c, Part 3, Reimbursement of Inmate Costs,
35 is currently $42.32 per day;
36 WHEREAS, Garfield County estimates the cost at $3.25 million and plans to finance
37 the full amount with 25-year bonds;
38 WHEREAS, this planning cannot begin until authorization to build is received, and the
39 Utah Department of Corrections will report this information to the Legislature as soon as it is
40 determined; and
41 WHEREAS, contracting with the Utah Department of Corrections for additional prison
42 bed space would greatly assist the state and Garfield County's efforts to have sufficient capacity
43 to house its prison populations:
44 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
45 supports jail expansion as beneficial to both the state and to Garfield County.
46 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Garfield
47 County Commission and to the Utah Department of Corrections.





Legislative Review Note
as of 1-5-07 11:18 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel