TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING WORK-RELEASE PROGRAMS; AND TO ALLOW A SHERIFF TO ELECT TO HOUSE WORK-RELEASE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.

Senate Bill 641 allows county sheriffs to elect to house certain inmates committed to the Department of Corrections (DOC) in county jails, rather than immediately transferring them to state facilities. This option applies to eligible inmates who are within 12 months of their earliest potential release date and are not convicted of felonies ineligible for earned release credits. If a sheriff chooses this option, they must obtain the inmate's consent, notify victims and prosecutors, and provide programming, healthcare, and supervised work opportunities. The DOC is responsible for reimbursing counties for housing and medical expenses and providing training and digital programming resources.