S.J.R. 101 Enrolled

1

JOINT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING
2 GARFIELD COUNTY JAIL EXPANSION
3 2007 FIRST SPECIAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Dennis E. Stowell
6 House Sponsor: Michael E. Noel
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution of the Legislature supports jail expansion in Garfield County
11 through a contract with the Utah Department of Corrections.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 . supports Garfield County's expansion of its correctional facilities by means of a
15 contract between the county and the Utah Department of Corrections.
16 Special Clauses:
17 None
18
19 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
20 WHEREAS, counties contract with the Department of Corrections to provide prison
21 bed space for state prisoners;
22 WHEREAS, this contracting arrangement has proved beneficial to both the state and the
23 counties and saved taxpayers from the burden of building new state correctional facilities, while
24 at the same time assisting counties to meet their own correctional space needs;
25 WHEREAS, in accordance with Utah Code Annotated, Subsection 64-13e-103(6), the
26 Department of Corrections may not enter into a contract with a county to house state inmates
27 unless the Legislature has previously passed a joint resolution that includes the approximate
28 number of beds to be contracted, the state daily incarceration rate, the approximate amount of
29 the county's long-term debt, and the repayment time of the debt for the facility where the

30 inmates are to be housed;
31 WHEREAS, the approximate number of beds to be contracted in Garfield County is 80;
32 WHEREAS, the state daily incarceration rate is currently approximately $64.68 per day;
33 WHEREAS, Garfield County estimates the long-term debt cost at $4 million and plans
34 to finance the full amount with 25-year bonds;
35 WHEREAS, this planning cannot begin until authorization to build is received, and the
36 Utah Department of Corrections will report this information to the Legislature as soon as it is
37 determined; and
38 WHEREAS, contracting with the Utah Department of Corrections for additional prison
39 bed space would greatly assist the state and Garfield County's efforts to have sufficient capacity
40 to house its prison populations:
41 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
42 supports jail expansion as beneficial to both the state and to Garfield County.
43 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Garfield
44 County Commission and to the Utah Department of Corrections.