Budget Amendment ID: FY2016-S3-638-R1

Redraft EPS 638

Sheriffs

Mr. Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 3 the following section:-

“SECTION 3A. Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-Section 218. There shall be a corrections advisory board, hereinafter called the board, to provide independent advice to the corrections’ providers, including the sheriffs, to: (i) improve coordination efforts between and among the sheriffs, the department of correction, the courts and community corrections programs; and (ii) identify and establish best practices in all aspects of corrections’ operations including, but not limited to, accounting, human resources, care and custody of inmates, special inmate populations, civil process, community corrections, health and mental health care management, inmate rehabilitation and reentry, capital, master and strategic planning, inmate tracking and transportation and procurement.

The board shall include: the secretary of public safety and security, the chair of the parole board, the commissioner of correction, the commissioner of probation, the secretary of administration and finance, the president of the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc., or their designees, each of whom shall serve ex-officio; 9 persons to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall have experience in the areas of workforce development and ex-offender rehabilitation, 1 of whom shall have experience in the area of reintegration and rehabilitation of female ex-offenders, 1 of whom shall have experience in treating people with mental illness and substance abuse, 1 of whom shall have experience in government accounting practices, 1 of whom shall have experience in human resources management, 1 of whom shall have experience in independent auditing and 1 of whom shall be a representative of organized labor; 2 persons to be appointed by the president of the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc.; and 2 persons to be appointed by the chief justice of the supreme judicial court.  Appointed members shall serve for terms of 3 years.  In the event of a vacancy in office, a successor shall be appointed in like manner by the appropriate appointing authority. Ten members shall constitute a quorum and all members shall be voting members. The board shall annually elect a chairperson from among its members and shall be supported by the executive office for administration and finance. Board members shall be considered state employees for the purposes of chapter 268A.

The chairperson shall hold meetings at least quarterly, 1 of which shall be the annual meeting, and shall notify all board members and the sheriffs of the time and place of the meetings. Special meetings may be called at any time by a majority of the board members and shall be called by the chairperson upon written application of at least 8 members. Members of the board shall not receive compensation but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the discharge of their duties.

The sheriffs and any other interested parties may address the board during its meetings and provide written information to the board for its consideration.

The board shall make a report, not later than June 1 of every even-numbered year and shall file a copy of the reportwith the governor, the clerks of the house and senate, the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on public safety and homeland security, the joint committee on the judiciary and the joint committee on state administration and regulatory oversight.”; and

by inserting after section 86 the following section:-

“SECTION 86A. Subject to appropriation, the human resources division in the executive office for administration and finance shall conduct, in consultation with the sheriffs and Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc., a comprehensive assessment that shall lead to statewide standards for classification, recruitment, promotion, compensation and professional standards for sheriffs’ offices. The assessment shall include, but not be limited to, standardizing job titles and classification, job postings, minimum testing requirements and other employment practices. The human resources division shall issue a report of its assessment by April 30, 2016 and shall require that implementation of the standards shall begin not later than September 1, 2016. A copy of the human resources division’s assessment shall be sent to the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on state administration and regulatory oversight, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means, the clerks of the house and senate, the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security, the secretary of administration and finance and the secretary of public safety and security.”