AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT-- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT (Repeals 42-56-38.1 and requires the department of corrections to provide free communication services to inmates and juveniles held in residential placement or detention centers and requires that those facilities provide in-person contact visits.)

H8117

2026 -- H 8117
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LC003853
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT-- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT

Introduced By:
Representative Leonela Felix

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 42-56-38.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-56 entitled
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"Corrections Department" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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42-56-38.1. Prisoner telephone use.
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(a) When an inmate requests and receives a list of parties approved to receive telephone
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calls, the inmate shall be provided the option of using either a debit or collect call system to place
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such calls. Under the debit system, either the cost of such service shall be automatically deducted
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from the account maintained by the inmate for that purpose, or the inmate shall set aside money
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from his/her account to be placed in a prepaid telephone account.
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(b) No telephone service provider shall charge a customer rate for calls made from a prison
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in excess of rates charged for comparable calls made in non-prison settings. All rates shall reflect
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the lowest reasonable cost to inmates and call recipients.
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(c) No concessions agreements for inmate telephone calling services shall include
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provisions for a commission payable to the state, nor shall any correctional institution impose a
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surcharge for telephone usage by inmates in addition to the charges imposed by the telephone
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service provider.
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SECTION 2. Chapter 42-56 of the General Laws entitled "Corrections Department" is
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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
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42-56-38.3. Prisoner telephone use -- Communication with people confined to
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correctional facilities.

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(a) When an inmate requests and receives a list of parties approved to receive telephone
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calls, the department of corrections or any agency charged with the operation and management of
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state prisons, local jail cells maintained by any local or state law enforcement agency and youth
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residential placements or detention centers shall provide persons in their custody and confined in a
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correctional or detention facility, or held by any law enforcement agency pending an initial court
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appearance, with voice communication service. The department of corrections or other agency may
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supplement voice communication service with other communication services, including, but not
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limited to, video communication and electronic mail or messaging services. To the extent that such
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voice communication service or any other communication service is provided, which shall not be
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limited beyond program participation and routine facility procedures, each such service shall be
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provided free of charge to the person initiating and the person receiving the communication.
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(b) The department of corrections, including all adult and juvenile facilities, in order to
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facilitate and accomplish the purposes of this section, shall maintain at a minimum the greater of:
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(1) A ten (10) to one ratio of persons in custody to operable voice communication
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devices/telephones in each housing unit; or
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(2) At least two (2) voice communication devices/telephones in each housing unit.
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(c) Neither the department of corrections nor any agency charged with the operation and
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management of state prisons, or local jail cells maintained by any local or state law enforcement
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agency or youth residential placements or detention centers, shall receive revenue from the
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provision of voice communication services or any other communication services to any person
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confined in any correctional facility, local jail cell or youth residential placement or detention
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center.
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(d) The department of corrections or any agency charged with the operation and
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management of state prisons or youth residential placements or detention centers shall provide
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persons in their custody and confined in their facilities with in-person contact visits.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT-- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT
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This act would repeal provisions which allow the department of corrections to charge
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inmates for phone calls and would require the department of corrections to provide free
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communication services to inmates and juveniles held in residential placement or detention centers.
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This act also would require that those facilities provide in-person contact visits.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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