FISCAL NOTE TO


ASSEMBLY, No. 256


STATE OF NEW JERSEY


DATED: JULY 29, 1996



      Assembly Bill No. 256 of 1996 would permit counties to charge persons sentenced to imprisonment, or ordered to pretrial or investigative detention in the county correctional facility for the costs of their incarceration. The bill specifies that the amount charged may not exceed the actual, certifiable cost incurred by the county in providing for the custody, care and maintenance of the inmate or detainee.

      To ensure that these charges are collected, the bill authorizes counties to place liens against the property and income of the inmates and detainees who are assessed custody, care and maintenance charges. These liens would have priority over all other unrecorded encumbrances.

      The Department of Corrections states that since this bill specifically pertains to county inmates, it will have no direct impact on the department.

      The Office of Legislative Services concurs and notes that currently, the State pays counties the sum of $58.50 per day to house State sentenced inmates in county jail facilities. While it must be acknowledged that not every county inmate would be able to pay the cost of incarceration, the counties may be able to collect that amount from those inmates who were financially able. Any revenue generated as a result of this bill would be offset in part by the expenses incurred by the counties in setting up a system to collect these funds.

 

This fiscal note has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.