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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill modifies Prison Relocation Commission provisions.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ modifies duties of the Prison Relocation Commission to require the commission to
13 consider the current site of the state prison as a place to locate new prison facilities.
14 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15 None
16 Other Special Clauses:
17 None
18 Utah Code Sections Affected:
19 AMENDS:
20 63C-15-203, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 211
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22 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23 Section 1. Section 63C-15-203 is amended to read:
24 63C-15-203. Commission duties and responsibilities.
25 (1) The commission shall:
26 (a) carefully and deliberately consider, study, and evaluate how and where to move the
27 state prison, and in that process:
28 (i) consider whether to locate new prison facilities on land already owned by the state,
29 including the current site of the state prison, or on land that is currently in other public or
30 private ownership but that the state may acquire or lease, whether to locate new prison facilities
31 at one location or multiple locations, and to what extent future corrections needs may be met by
32 existing state and county facilities; and
33 (ii) take into account relevant objectives, including:
34 (A) coordinating the commission's efforts with the efforts of the justice commission
35 and the department to evaluate criminal justice policies to increase public safety, reduce
36 recidivism, and reduce prison population growth;
37 (B) ensuring that new prison facilities are conducive to future inmate programming that
38 encourages a reduction in recidivism;
39 (C) locating new prison facilities to help facilitate an adequate level of volunteer and
40 staff support that will allow for a correctional program that is commensurate with the high
41 standards that should be maintained in the state;
42 (D) locating new prison facilities within a reasonable distance of comprehensive
43 medical facilities;
44 (E) locating new prison facilities to be compatible with surrounding land uses for the
45 foreseeable future;
46 (F) locating new prison facilities with careful consideration given to the concerns of
47 access to courts, visiting and public access, expansion capabilities, emergency response factors,
48 and the availability of infrastructure;
49 (G) supporting new prison facilities by one or more appropriations from the
50 Legislature;
51 (H) developing performance specifications for new prison facilities that facilitate a
52 high quality correctional program;
53 (I) phasing in construction over a period of time; and
54 (J) making every reasonable effort to maximize efficiencies and cost savings that result
55 from building and operating newer, more efficient prison facilities;
56 (b) invite the participation in commission meetings of interested parties, the public,
57 experts in the area of prison facilities, and any others the commission considers to have
58 information or ideas that would be useful to the commission;
59 (c) formulate recommendations concerning:
60 (i) the location or locations to which the new prison facilities should be moved;
61 (ii) the type of facilities that should be constructed to accommodate the prison
62 population and to facilitate implementation of any new corrections programs; and
63 (iii) the extent to which future corrections needs can be met by existing state or county
64 facilities; and
65 (d) before the start of the 2015 General Session of the Legislature, report the
66 commission's recommendations in writing to the Legislature and governor.
67 (2) The commission may:
68 (a) meet as many times as the commission considers necessary or advisable in order to
69 fulfill its responsibilities under this part;
70 (b) hire or direct the hiring of one or more consultants with experience or expertise in a
71 subject under consideration by the commission, to assist the commission in fulfilling its duties
72 under this part; and
73 (c) in its discretion, elect to succeed to the position of the Prison Relocation and
74 Development Authority under a contract that the Prison Relocation and Development Authority
75 is a party to, subject to applicable contractual provisions.
76 (3) The commission may not:
77 (a) consider or evaluate future uses of the property on which the state prison is
78 currently located;
79 (b) make recommendations concerning the future use or development of the land on
80 which the state prison is currently located;
81 (c) make any commitments or enter into any contracts for the acquisition of land for
82 new state prison facilities or regarding the construction of new state prison facilities; or
83 (d) initiate or pursue the procurement of a person to design or construct new prison
84 facilities.
Legislative Review Note
as of 2-4-15 9:04 AM
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel