HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 485 FILED ON: 1/11/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3431
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Elizabeth A. Poirier
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act authorizing sheriffs to impose fees.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Elizabeth A. Poirier | 14th Bristol | 1/4/2019 |
Susan Williams Gifford | 2nd Plymouth | 1/17/2019 |
Shaunna L. O'Connell | 3rd Bristol | 1/31/2019 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 485 FILED ON: 1/11/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3431
By Mrs. Poirier of North Attleborough, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3431) of Elizabeth A. Poirier, Susan Williams Gifford and Shaunna L. O'Connell that county commissioners and the sheriffs for the various counties institute a schedule of fees and assess fees to inmates in their custody. The Judiciary. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 925 OF 2017-2018.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
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An Act authorizing sheriffs to impose fees.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 127 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after section 48A, the following section:-
Section 48B. The commissioner and the sheriffs for the various counties may institute a schedule of fees and assess said fees to inmates in their custody as follows:-
A daily cost of custodial care fee not to exceed $5;
A medical sick call visit fee not related to a condition pre-existing at the time of incarceration not to exceed $5;
A dental sick call visit fee not to exceed $5;
A pair of prescription eyeglasses fee not to exceed$5;
A pharmacy prescription fee not to exceed $3 per prescription.
Any penal facility assessing fees shall establish a procedure for inmates to appeal any such assessment.
Notwithstanding the above, the following services shall be exempt from fee assessment: admission health screening, 14 day health assessment, emergency health care, hospitalization or infirmary care, prenatal care, lab and diagnostic care, follow-up visits approved by health services, contagious disease care and chronic disease care.
No inmate shall be denied access to medical or dental care because of an inability to pay any fee. Indigent inmates shall have the above fees and costs assessed and debited against the inmate’s money account which, if not paid, shall remain due and payable as a charge to the inmate after his release from custody. If the inmate is not incarcerated within 2 years of his release from custody, this debt shall be forgiven.
This section shall not apply to federal inmates, detainees or regional lock-up inmates. The commissioner and the sheriffs of the various counties shall promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of this section.