Amendment #754 to H4400

Fiscal Responsibility

Mr. Jones of North Reading moves to amend the bill, in section 2, by inserting after item 1599-0093, the following item:-

“1599-1691 For a reserve to fund necessary costs in the commonwealth in fiscal year 2019; provided, that the committee for public counsel services shall be eligible for funds; provided further, that the 14 sheriffs’ offices shall be eligible for funds; provided further, that the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund shall be eligible for funds; provided further, that the secretary of administration and finance shall issue a report with the house and senate committees on ways and means not less than 45 days before any transfer of funds detailing any cost reduction and efficiencies efforts; provided further, that said report shall include the amount of appropriation needed to address any deficiency, a breakdown by line item and object class of the transferred funds and a description of the unavoidable costs addressed in said transfer; provided further, that each sheriff’s office shall submit a report not later than October 16, 2018 to the executive office for administration and finance, the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and the house and senate committees on ways and means on: (i) a total staffing number, by facility; (ii) the number of personnel defined as care and custody personnel (iii) the number of correction officers; (iv) the number of care and custody supervising staff; (v) the overall number of management personnel; (vi) a breakdown of salary and wages spent on supervising staff, management personnel and correction officers; and (vii) the percent of appropriated funds expended on care and custody personnel; provided further, that each office shall identify cost saving measures including, but not limited to: (a) developing innovative personnel initiatives, including reducing overtime costs and the ratio of personnel to supervisors; (b) consolidating inmate medical and other vendor services across offices; and (c) establishing uniform standards and programming across offices; provided further, that each office shall submit a report to the executive office for administration and finance, the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than December 1, 2018 detailing implemented strategies for more efficient spending and expected net savings for fiscal year 2019; and provided further, no sheriff’s office shall rely on increased inmate fees or fines to ensure spending within the appropriation provided for in this act and shall not increase any inmate fee or fine, including but not limited to commissary items, in fiscal year 2019............. $266,400,000.”