Committee advances bill requiring corrections to check and serve outstanding warrants, virtual hearings from prisons

The House Judiciary Committee gave a favorable report to SB 60 after adopting an amendment that tightens communication between law enforcement and the Department of Corrections.

"This bill is really about increasing communications between our agencies and and department corrections," Chairman Reynolds said as he described the measure, which would require the Department of Corrections to check for any outstanding warrants for inmates in its physical custody and to serve those warrants under certain conditions.

The amendment the committee approved requires a law enforcement agency that issues an arrest warrant or secures a grand-jury indictment for an inmate in DOC custody to notify the department of that issuance within 30 days, to provide a copy of the executed warrant and any related bonding documentation, and to update the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). The amendment also clarifies that, when a hearing is held because of a required warrant check, that hearing must be conducted virtually from the prison.

Representative Campbell asked whether the 30-day notification requirement was in the amendment; the sponsor confirmed it was. Committee discussion noted the change aims to close gaps that have led to inmates being released while having outstanding warrants in local jurisdictions, and to protect investigative options where law enforcement has reasons not to immediately serve a warrant.

The committee adopted the amendment by voice vote and then returned SB 60 with a favorable report as amended. The record does not show a roll-call tally for either the amendment or the final action in the transcript; the committee recorded the outcome by voice vote.

The measure will move forward in the legislative process with the committee's recommendation.