HB555
Corrections Ombudsman, Office of the Department of; created, annual report.
Summary
As Passed Both Chambers. Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman; created.
Creates, within the Office of the State Inspector General, the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman (the Office) headed by an Ombudsman who is selected by the State Inspector General. The bill creates the Corrections Oversight Committee (the Committee) made up of four members of the General Assembly, nine ... (More) nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor, subject to criteria described in the bill, and two nonvoting members, appointed as described in the bill, who monitor the activities of the Ombudsman and the Department of Corrections (the Department). The bill provides the Office with authority to conduct inspections at least once every three years and more often when warranted of Department facilities and requires the Office to establish a statewide toll-free telephone number, website, mailing address, and paper and electronic forms for inmates, family members, friends, and advocates to submit complaints and inquiries. In addition, the bill requires the Committee to hold at least two public hearings per year and requires the Office to submit an annual report to be made available online and to be delivered to the Governor, the Attorney General, the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, the House Committee on Public Safety, the Committee, and the Director of the Department. The bill directs the Office to develop a short-term and long-term strategic plan and to provide a report on its initial activities and strategic plan to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before November 15, 2025. This bill is identical to HB 555. (Less)As Passed Both Chambers. Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman; created.
Creates, within the Office of the State Inspector General, the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman (the Office) headed by an Ombudsman who is selected by the State Inspector General. The bill creates the Corrections Oversight Committee (the Committee) made up of four members of the General Assembly, nine ... (More) nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor, subject to criteria described in the bill, and two nonvoting members, appointed as described in the bill, who monitor the activities of the Ombudsman and the Department of Corrections (the Department). The bill provides the Office with authority to conduct inspections at least once every three years and more often when warranted of Department facilities and requires the Office to establish a statewide toll-free telephone number, website, mailing address, and paper and electronic forms for inmates, family members, friends, and advocates to submit complaints and inquiries. In addition, the bill requires the Committee to hold at least two public hearings per year and requires the Office to submit an annual report to be made available online and to be delivered to the Governor, the Attorney General, the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, the House Committee on Public Safety, the Committee, and the Director of the Department. The bill directs the Office to develop a short-term and long-term strategic plan and to provide a report on its initial activities and strategic plan to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before November 15, 2025. This bill is identical to SB 456. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/09/2024 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24104705D
- 01/09/2024 - House: Referred to Committee on Public Safety
- 01/16/2024 - House: Assigned PS sub: Public Safety
- 01/18/2024 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 0-N)
- 01/18/2024 - House: Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations
- 01/19/2024 - House: Reported from Public Safety (21-Y 0-N)
- 01/19/2024 - House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
- 01/21/2024 - House: Assigned App. sub: Transportation & Public Safety
- 01/30/2024 - House: Impact statement from DPB (HB555)
- 01/31/2024 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (8-Y 0-N)
- 02/02/2024 - House: Reported from Appropriations with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N)
- 02/06/2024 - House: Read first time
- 02/07/2024 - House: Read second time
- 02/07/2024 - House: Committee amendments agreed to
- 02/07/2024 - House: Engrossed by House as amended HB555E
- 02/07/2024 - House: Printed as engrossed 24104705D-E
- 02/08/2024 - House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)
- 02/08/2024 - House: VOTE: Block Vote Passage (98-Y 0-N)
- 02/09/2024 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed
- 02/09/2024 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
- 02/13/2024 - House: Impact statement from DPB (HB555E)
- 02/16/2024 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 24107788D-S1
- 02/16/2024 - Senate: Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute (12-Y 0-N)
- 02/16/2024 - Senate: Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
- 02/19/2024 - House: Impact statement from DPB (HB555S1)
- 02/28/2024 - Senate: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N)
- 02/28/2024 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 24108484D-S2
- 02/28/2024 - Senate: Substitute bill reprinted 24108484D-S2
- 02/29/2024 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
- 03/01/2024 - Senate: Read third time
- 03/01/2024 - Senate: Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee substitute rejected 24107788D-S1
- 03/01/2024 - Senate: Reading of substitute waived
- 03/01/2024 - Senate: Finance and Appropriations Committee substitute agreed to 24108484D-S2
- 03/01/2024 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute HB555S2
- 03/01/2024 - Senate: Passed Senate with substitute (40-Y 0-N)
- 03/04/2024 - House: Senate substitute rejected by House 24108484D-S2 (6-Y 92-N)
- 03/04/2024 - House: VOTE: REJECTED (6-Y 92-N)
- 03/05/2024 - Senate: Senate insisted on substitute (40-Y 0-N)
- 03/05/2024 - Senate: Senate requested conference committee
- 03/06/2024 - House: House acceded to request
- 03/06/2024 - House: Conferees appointed by House
- 03/06/2024 - House: Delegates: Hope, Cole, Earley
- 03/07/2024 - Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
- 03/07/2024 - Senate: Senators: Marsden, Salim, Head
- 03/07/2024 - Conference: Amended by conference committee
- 03/07/2024 - House: Conference substitute printed 24109026D-H1
- 03/08/2024 - House: Conference report agreed to by House (97-Y 0-N)
- 03/08/2024 - House: VOTE: Adoption (97-Y 0-N)
- 03/08/2024 - Senate: Passed by temporarily
- 03/08/2024 - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)
- 03/08/2024 - House: Impact statement from DPB (HB555H1)
- 03/25/2024 - House: Enrolled
- 03/25/2024 - House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB555ER)
- 03/25/2024 - Senate: Signed by President
- 03/26/2024 - House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/27/2024 - House: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 27, 2024
- 03/27/2024 - Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 8, 2024
- 04/04/2024 - Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 392 (effective 7/1/24)
- 04/04/2024 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0392)
