SB 83: Prisons and reformatories; modifying elements of exemption to certain account. Effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Oklahoma's inmate trust fund laws by reorganizing the bill's structure from House to Senate format and clarifying how inmate wages, interest, and savings are managed. Key changes include separating mandatory savings accounts from interest-bearing accounts, establishing a $100 minimum balance threshold for interest eligibility, and specifying that inmates with life sentences are exempt from mandatory savings requirements. The bill also clarifies how interest from various inmate funds is distributed to the Crime Victims Compensation Revolving Fund versus inmate accounts.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on inmate trust funds and prison industries, but the Senate version adds more specific operational details about account types, transfer restrictions, and interest distribution rules.

TECHNICAL

Reorganized bill structure from House floor version to Senate floor version with updated page headers and formatting

REQUIREMENT

Established a $100 minimum balance threshold in inmate trust fund draw accounts before interest-bearing account eligibility applies

Added 90-day waiting period between inmate transfers from interest-bearing accounts to draw accounts

Required Department of Corrections staff approval for all inmate interest-bearing account transfers to external recipients

ELIGIBILITY

Exempted inmates with life sentences or life without parole from mandatory savings account requirements

FISCAL

Clarified that interest from inmate savings accounts goes to Crime Victims Compensation Revolving Fund, while interest from canteen and restitution funds goes to General Revenue Fund

Enrolled (final version) → Floor (House) · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted from Senate enrolled version to House floor version, with no substantive policy changes to the actual legislative content. The amendments to 57 O.S. 2021, Section 549 regarding inmate trust funds, wage apportionment, and interest-bearing accounts remain identical in substance, though line breaks and spacing were adjusted for House formatting standards.

TECHNICAL

Document formatting changed from Senate enrolled layout to House floor version layout, including header information and page numbering.

Line breaks and spacing were adjusted throughout the bill text to conform to House printing standards, but no legal or policy language was altered.

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 3 edits · May 7, 2025

MINOR

This bill was finalized from its engrossed version to the enrolled version, with minor formatting and title changes. The substantive policy content regarding inmate trust funds, wage apportionment, interest-bearing accounts, and fund transfers remains unchanged. The main differences are cosmetic, including updated sponsor names and page numbering.

TECHNICAL

Sponsor names were updated from 'Howard of the Senate and Manger of the House' to 'Gollihare and Howard of the Senate' in the enrolled version.

Page numbering and formatting were adjusted to reflect the final enrolled version of the bill.

The 'ENGROSSED SENATE' header was changed to 'ENROLLED SENATE' to indicate the bill has passed both chambers and is ready for the governor's signature.

Introduced → Engrossed · 6 edits · Mar 3, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Oklahoma's inmate trust fund laws to clarify how inmate wages are managed, invested, and distributed. It establishes new rules for interest-bearing accounts, defines how funds can be used for inmate legal fees, and modifies how incarceration costs are charged against inmate earnings.

Scope change

The bill applies to all inmates in Oklahoma prisons and reformatories, with specific provisions for those with life sentences or life without parole who are exempt from certain savings account requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Mandatory savings account requirements now exempt inmates with life sentences or life without parole from the provision requiring 20% of wages to be placed in a dischargeable savings account.

New rules require inmate transfers from interest-bearing accounts to draw accounts to be approved by Department staff and limited to once every 90 days.

State Board of Corrections can charge inmates up to 50% of deposits for incarceration costs, or 100% if deposits come from workers' compensation benefits.

FISCAL

New provision allows inmates to use mandatory savings account funds for filing civil or criminal legal fees, including federal actions under 28 U.S.C. Section 1911 et seq.

Interest earned on inmate savings accounts must now be paid to the Crime Victims Compensation Revolving Fund instead of remaining with the inmate.

Interest from canteen systems and offender restitution must be remitted to the State Treasurer for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, excluding portions payable to inmates or the Crime Victims Compensation Fund.

Prisons and reformatories; modifying elements of exemption to certain account. Effective date.

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