§ 17-24-124 — Inmate disaster relief program - legislative declaration

Colorado § 17-24-124

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 17: Corrections
• Art.: Correctional Industries

Text

(1) The
general assembly finds that inmates housed in certain prison facilities throughout
the state form a labor pool that could be safely utilized to fight forest fires, help
with flood relief, and assist in the prevention of or clean up after other natural or
man-made disasters.

(2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, disaster
means the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury,
or loss of life or property resulting from any natural cause or cause of human origin,
but disaster does not include any hazardous substance incident, oil spill or other
contamination, epidemic, air pollution, blight, drought, infestation, explosion, civil
disturbance, or hostile military or paramilitary action.

(3) There is hereby established in the division the inmate disaster relief
program, referred to in this section as the program. The purpose of the program
shall be to establish one or more inmate disaster relief crews composed of inmates
from minimum restrictive, or minimum security facilities. An inmate shall receive an
additional amount of earned time pursuant to section 17-22.5-405 in the amount of
one day of earned time for every day spent at the site of a disaster. An inmate
disaster relief crew may be utilized by the state or by local or federal governmental
agencies that apply to the division for assistance.

(4) The executive director shall promulgate rules governing the program
including but not limited to:

(a) The inmates who are eligible to participate in the program;

(b) Types of disasters to which an inmate disaster relief crew may be sent;

(c) The security measures that are required to prevent escapes and protect
the public;

(d) The procedures that must be followed before an inmate disaster relief
crew may be utilized;

(e) The fees that may be charged by the division for the provision of services
by an inmate disaster relief crew; and

(f) The compensation that may be paid to inmates participating in the
program.

(5) The division is authorized to purchase equipment and obtain necessary
training for any inmate disaster relief crews.

(6) The department is authorized to solicit, accept, and expend grants,
donations, gifts, and other moneys to defer the costs of equipping and training one
or more inmate disaster relief crews. The program shall not be implemented or
made available to other agencies until sufficient moneys are available from
appropriations, grants, donations, gifts, and other moneys to cover the costs of
equipping and training at least one inmate disaster relief crew.

(7) The department shall distribute the informational materials described in
section 24-33.5-1226.5 to persons who have experience in wildland fire services
pursuant to the program.

Legislative History

Source: L. 98: Entire section added, p. 17, � 1, effective August 5. L. 2001: (3) and (6) amended, p. 1452, � 1, effective June 5. L. 2021: (7) added, (HB 21-012), ch. 29, p. 123, � 4, effective April 15.