Penalties could get harsher for inmates who are found guilty of owning or selling contraband within a correctional facility.
HB 348, authored by Rep. Kinkade, would prevent any correctional staff who is convicted of the sale, possession, or use of a controlled substance within a correctional facility from earning time allowances or a reduction in sentence.
The bill reads:
(4) Any correctional staff who violates the provisions of this section and is convicted shall be fined up to Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) and be punished by imprisonment for not less than three (3) years nor more than seven (7) years, and such person, notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, is not eligible for probation, parole, suspension of sentence, earned time allowance or any other reduction of sentence.
The bill was passed in the House on a vote of 97-20. It was transmitted to the Senate Corrections Committee.
Sarah Ulmer
