Pennsylvania SB 231: An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to official visitation, providing for communications services for inmates in State or county correctional institutions; and making an appropriation.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 184
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 231
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY CAPPELLETTI, COLLETT, STREET, SAVAL, HAYWOOD,
KEARNEY AND COSTA, FEBRUARY 4, 2025
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 4, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating
to official visitation, providing for communications services
for inmates in State or county correctional institutions; and
making an appropriation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 61 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 5912. Communications services for inmates in State or county
correctional institutions.
(a) Requirements.--The department and counties shall provide
to all persons in their custody and confined in a State
correctional institution or a county correctional institution,
as applicable, voice communication services as follows:
(1) The department and counties must maintain no less
than the access to voice communication services and other
communication services as was allowed by them on January 1,
2024.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

(2) The department and counties must maintain a 10 to 1
ratio of persons in custody to operable voice communication
devices in each housing unit or recreational yard with at
least two voice communication devices inside each housing
unit.
(b) Optional additional communications services.--The
department and counties may voluntarily supplement the voice
communication services with other communication services,
including video communication and email or messaging services.
(c) Prohibition on fees and charges.--Voice communication
services or other communication services shall be provided free
of charge to an inmate and a service, whether initiated or
received through a voice communication service or other
communication service, shall be free of charge to the person
initiating or receiving the communication.
(d) Prohibition on revenue and commissions.--The department
and counties shall be prohibited from charging an inmate for use
of or access to a communication service, device or system.
(e) Prohibition of replacing visits.--Communications
services may not be used to replace an in-person visit program
and nothing in this section shall authorize or permit the
department or county to limit or prohibit in-person contact
visits.
(f) Funds.--
(1) For fiscal year 2025-2026, the sum of $16,500,000 is
appropriated from the General Fund to the department, in
addition to any funds deposited in the department's general
government operations, for the purpose of supporting the cost
of providing communications services to inmates in State or
county correctional institutions.
20250SB0231PN0184 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

(2) The appropriation and additional funds may not be
used for indirect expenses related to the provision of
communications services to inmates in State or county
correctional institutions and are only eligible for invoiced
expenses from a communication service vendor.
(3) Any additional funds appropriated to the department
for the supplemental allocation shall be allocated annually
as follows:
(i) 70% to the department; and
(ii) 30% to counties, allocated to each county on a
proportional basis calculated on a per capita inmate
population in county correctional institutions.
(g) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Other communication services." Communication services other
than voice communication services, including, but not limited
to, video calls and electronic messages.
"Voice communication services." Real-time, audio-only
communication services, namely telephone calls made over
wireline telephony, voice over Internet protocol or any other
technology infrastructure.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 180 days.
20250SB0231PN0184 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23