A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE GOVERNOR'S CRIME COMMISSION TO ASSIST SHERIFFS IN NORTH CAROLINA IN EVALUATING THE ADVISABILITY OF CONSTRUCTING REGIONAL JAILS FOR JOINT USE BY SHERIFFS OF MULTIPLE COUNTIES AND TO DETERMINE IF REGIONAL JAILS ARE ADVISABLE AND FEASIBLE.
Whereas, the constitutionally elected sheriff of each county has responsibility for the care and custody of the jail in the sheriff's county; and
Whereas, criminal defendants in custody awaiting trial are confined in the county jail in the custody of the sheriff; and
Whereas, convicted prisoners sentenced to a term of imprisonment of up to 90 days serve such sentence of imprisonment in the county jail; and
Whereas, adequate capacity of county jails is a recurring issue for sheriffs across North Carolina; and
Whereas, the General Assembly of North Carolina wishes to enable North Carolina's sheriffs to investigate, consider, and evaluate the advisability of constructing regional jails for joint use by sheriffs of multiple counties and to further enable the sheriffs to determine if regional jails are advisable and feasible; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, Governor's Crime Commission, the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year to provide a grant to the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association, Inc., to: (i) investigate, consider, and evaluate the advisability of constructing regional jails for joint use by sheriffs of multiple counties; and (ii) determine if regional jails are advisable and feasible.
SECTION 2.  The North Carolina Sheriffs' Association shall issue a preliminary report to the General Assembly no later than April 1, 2008, and a final report no later than April 1, 2009, on the feasibility and advisability of constructing regional jails for joint use by sheriffs of multiple counties by filing the report with the cochairs of the Joint Legislative Correction, Crime Control, and Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.