A Senate committee has approved a bill to allow prison inmates to work on community projects with limited supervision.
The bill would require the Corrections Bureau to train employers to supervise the inmates. Originally it required the Corrections Bureau to supervise the inmates directly, but Sen. Allie-Allison Petrus, the sponsor, changed it after Justice Department and Corrections Bureau officials complained that they don't have enough personnel to do that. The bill now requires the Corrections Bureau to make periodic on-site checks of the inmate crews.
Under the proposal, inmates convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated rape, first-degree rape, unlawful sexual contact or kidnapping with intent to commit rape are not eligible for the work details.
Inmates on the work program must wear bright orange uniforms and will be paid about $10 a day, Petrus said.
Petrus was one of five members of the Government Operations Committee who voted Wednesday to pass the bill on to the Rules Committee. The others voting for it were Chairman Gregory Bennerson and Sens. Roosevelt David, Lorraine Berry and Donald Cole.
