S.J.R. 20 Enrolled

1

JOINT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING SANPETE COUNTY
2 INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CONTRACT BEDS AT ITS
3 CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
4 2011 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Ralph Okerlund
7 House Sponsor: Kay L. McIff
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This joint resolution of the Legislature supports increasing the number of beds for state
12 inmates at correctional facilities in Sanpete County.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 . supports jail expansion as beneficial to both the state and to Sanpete County through
16 a contract with the Utah Department of Corrections; and
17 . approves increasing the number of beds dedicated to housing state inmates from 50
18 to 76 in the Sanpete County jail facility.
19 Special Clauses:
20 None
21
22 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23 WHEREAS, counties in Utah contract with the Utah Department of Corrections to
24 provide prison bed space for state prisoners;
25 WHEREAS, this contracting arrangement has proved beneficial to both the state and
26 the counties and saved taxpayers from the burden of building new state correctional facilities
27 while at the same time assisting counties to meet their own correctional space needs;
28 WHEREAS, in accordance with Utah Code Annotated Subsection 64-13e-103 (6), the
29 Utah Department of Corrections may not enter into a contract with a county to house state

30 inmates unless the Legislature has previously passed a joint resolution that includes the
31 approximate number of beds to be contracted, the final state daily incarceration rate, the
32 approximate amount of the county's long-term debt, and the repayment time of the debt for the
33 facility where the inmates are to be housed;
34 WHEREAS, the Utah Department of Corrections currently utilizes 50 contract beds
35 with Sanpete County;
36 WHEREAS, the approximate number of additional beds to be contracted in Sanpete
37 County is 26;
38 WHEREAS, the state daily incarceration rate that the department will pay the county
39 per inmate is currently $45 per day;
40 WHEREAS, Sanpete County has sufficient facilities to accommodate additional state
41 inmates and therefore has met the requirements of Utah Code Annotated Subsections
42 64-13e-6 (c) and (d); and
43 WHEREAS, contracting with the Utah Department of Corrections for additional prison
44 bed space would greatly assist the state in addressing projected bed space and treatment needs
45 and Sanpete County's efforts to have sufficient capacity to house its prison populations:
46 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
47 supports increasing the number of beds in the Sanpete County jail facility dedicated to housing
48 state inmates from 50 to 76.
49 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Sanpete
50 County Commission and to the Utah Department of Corrections.