S.J.R. 101

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
23 the counties and saved taxpayers from the burden of building new state correctional facilities,
24 while at the same time assisting counties to meet their own correctional space needs;
25 WHEREAS, in accordance with Utah Code Annotated, Subsection 64-13c-401 (1), "the
26 department [of Corrections] may enter into a contract with a county government to house
27 inmates only if the Legislature has previously passed a joint resolution" containing the

28 approximate number of beds contracted, the county's average daily rate the department will pay
29 the county per inmate, and the approximate amount of the county's long-term debt and the
30 length of that debt for the facility where the inmates are to be housed;
31 WHEREAS, the approximate number of beds to be contracted in Garfield County is 80;
32 WHEREAS, Garfield County's average daily rate the department will pay the county
33 per inmate, as determined under Title 64, Chapter 13c, Part 3, Reimbursement of Inmate Costs,
34 is currently $45 per day;
35 WHEREAS, Garfield County estimates the long-term debt cost at $4 million and plans
36 to finance the full amount with 25-year bonds;
37 WHEREAS, this planning cannot begin until authorization to build is received, and the
38 Utah Department of Corrections will report this information to the Legislature as soon as it is
39 determined; and
40 WHEREAS, contracting with the Utah Department of Corrections for additional prison
41 bed space would greatly assist the state and Garfield County's efforts to have sufficient capacity
42 to house its prison populations:
43 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
44 supports jail expansion as beneficial to both the state and to Garfield County.
45 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Garfield
46 County Commission and to the Utah Department of Corrections.




Legislative Review Note
as of 8-17-07 2:02 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel