GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 517

Short Title:  Redefine Local Jail Duties.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senator Parnell.
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Referred to:  Judiciary I.
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March 22, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT A STRUCTURED SENTENCING PLAN FOR MISDEMEANANTS BY REDEFINING STATE AND COUNTY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE CONFINEMENT OF MISDEMEANANTS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 15A-1352 reads as rewritten:
"§ 15A-1352.  Commitment to Department of Correction or local confinement facility.
(a)	A person sentenced to imprisonment for a misdemeanor under this Article or for nonpayment of a fine under Article 84 of this Chapter shall be committed for the term designated by the court to the custody of the Department of Correction or to a local confinement facility. If the sentence imposed for a misdemeanor is for a period of 90 days or less, the commitment must be to a facility other than one maintained by the Department of Correction, except as provided in G.S. 148-32.1(b).
If a person is sentenced to imprisonment for a misdemeanor under this Article or for nonpayment of a fine under Article 84 of this Chapter, the sentencing judge shall make a finding of fact as to whether the person would be suitable for placement in a county satellite jail/work release unit operated pursuant to G.S. 153A-230.3. If the sentencing judge makes a finding of fact that the person would be suitable for placement in a county satellite jail/work release unit and the person meets the requirements listed in G.S. 153A-230.3(a)(1), then the custodian of the local confinement facility may transfer the misdemeanant to a county satellite jail/work release unit.
(b)	A person sentenced to imprisonment for a felony under this Article shall be committed for the term designated by the court to the custody of the Department of Correction; except that, upon request of the sheriff or the board of commissioners of a county, the presiding judge may, in his discretion, sentence the person to a local confinement facility in that county.
(c)	A person sentenced to imprisonment for nonpayment of a fine under Article 84, Fines, shall be committed for the term designated by the court:
(1)	To the custody of the Department of Correction if the person was fined for conviction of a felony;
(2)	To the custody of the Department of Correction or to a local confinement facility if the person was fined for conviction of a misdemeanor, provided that if the sentence imposed is for a period of 90 days or less, the commitment shall be to a facility other than one maintained by the Department of Correction, except as provided in G.S. 148-32.1(b).
(d)	Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when the sentencing court, with the consent of the person sentenced, orders that a person convicted of a misdemeanor be granted work release, the court may commit the person to a specific prison facility or local confinement facility or satellite jail/work release unit within the county of the sentencing court in order to facilitate the work release arrangement. When appropriate to facilitate the work release arrangement, the sentencing court may, with the consent of the sheriff or board of commissioners, commit the person to a specific local confinement facility or satellite jail/work release unit in another county, or, with the consent of the Department of Correction, commit the person to a specific prison facility in another county. The Department of Correction may transfer a prisoner committed to a specific prison facility to a different facility when necessary to alleviate overcrowding or for other administrative purposes."
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective January 1, 1994.