Committee votes to report bill raising parolee monthly fee from $40 to $50

A legislative committee voted to report House Bill 5444 to the full Senate after counsel described the measure as a simple adjustment to parolee monthly fees.

Counsel said, "This is a fairly simple bill. All it does is increase the monthly fees that are paid by parolees from $40 to $50. These fees have not been raised since 2004 and the increase does not affect the parolees who do not have the ability to pay, that standard still remains the same in law." The vice chair moved that the bill be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass; the motion was adopted by voice vote and the chair declared the motion adopted.

Why it matters: The bill would raise the statutory monthly fee for parole supervision; counsel said the law’s affordability standard for those unable to pay remains in place. The committee record contains no roll-call totals or a fiscal note in the discussion.