SB228 Alabama 2019 Session

Under existing law, the sheriff of a county receives an allowance in the amount of $1.75 per capita from the state for the feeding of prisoners in the county jail. In addition, the amount of $1.25 is conditionally appropriated from the State General Fund per capita. The sheriff is authorized to retain the amount of the allowances over the costs of feeding prisoners, unless the county commission has directed the allowances to be paid into the county State General Fund

This bill would increase the amount of the amount of the allowance paid to the sheriff by the state for feeding prisoners to $2.25 per day per prisoner. Thereafter, the amount provided by the state would be increased by two percent each year commencing on October 1, 2021

The bill would also establish a Prisoner Feeding Fund in the office of the sheriff of each county into which all allowances would be paid. The Prisoner Feeding Fund would only be used for feeding prisoners except at the end of each fiscal year 25 percent of the unencumbered balance may be used for jail operations or law enforcement purposes

The bill would also make a continuing appropriation from the State General Fund to be used under certain conditions for emergency costs overruns in the counties

Relating to sheriffs; to amend Sections 14-6-40, 14-6-42, 14-6-47, 14-6-48, and 36-22-17, Code of Alabama 1975, and to repeal Section 14-6-43 of the Code of Alabama 1975, relating to the feeding of prisoners in the county jail; to increase the allowance paid by the state; to establish a Prisoner Feeding Fund in each county sheriff's office; and to make a continuing appropriation from the State General Fund commencing October 1, 2019, and thereafter to be used for emergency costs overruns in the counties.