HB407 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mac McCutcheon

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Gregory CanfieldPat MooreDickie DrakeMicky HammonAllen Treadaway

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Sheriffs, prisoners in county jail, allowance for feeding, Prisoner Feeding Fund, established, records, audit, Secs. 14-6-40, 14-6-41, 14-6-42, 14-6-43, 14-6-47, 14-6-48, 36-22-17 am'd.

Summary

HB407 would create a dedicated Prisoner Feeding Fund in each county to pay for feeding prisoners, placing administration of feeding funds under sheriff control with required records and audits and shielding sheriffs from personal liability for shortages.

What This Bill Does

The bill shifts the funding for prisoner meals into a special county Prisoner Feeding Fund that is used only for feeding prisoners. It requires the state to make payments for feeding services (preparing, serving, and other related services) into this fund, and requires the sheriff to keep records and undergo regular audits. It also adds a safeguard that sheriffs are not personally responsible for shortages, allows funds beyond a set threshold to be used for other jail needs or carried forward, and provides an effective date at the start of the sheriff’s next term.

Who It Affects

• Sheriffs and county governments: must establish and manage the Prisoner Feeding Fund, deposit feeding payments into it, use funds only for feeding prisoners, and are shielded from personal liability for shortages.
• State and auditing authorities (Department of Examiners of Public Accounts): provide feeding-related payments to the fund and conduct regular audits to ensure proper use of the funds.

Key Provisions

• Amends Sections 14-6-40, 14-6-41, 14-6-42, 14-6-43, 14-6-47, 14-6-48, and 36-22-17 to create a Prisoner Feeding Fund in the sheriff's office and require funds to be used only for feeding prisoners.
• The sheriff shall not be personally responsible for the cost of feeding prisoners or any shortage in the fund; funds are public funds and subject to audit.
• State payments for feeding services (not including food costs) are deposited into the Prisoner Feeding Fund, with per-prisoner per-day rates outlined (e.g., $1.00 for one prisoner, $0.50 for 2-5 prisoners, $0.40 for 6-10, $0.30 for 11-20, $0.05 for 21-85).
• In addition to food costs, a $1.25 per prisoner per day appropriation is deposited into the fund for other feeding-related costs, kept in the same Prisoner Feeding Fund.
• There is a separate $1.75 per prisoner per day allowance for food costs, to be used as provided in the statute and recorded in the Prisoner Feeding Fund.
• End-of-year provisions allow funds exceeding 20% of the prior 12 months' actual feeding costs to be spent on jail operations or carried over to the next year, at the sheriff's option.
• If there are multiple jails in a county, the reporting and payment are calculated as if all prisoners were in one jail.
• Effective date: at the beginning of the next term of office of the sheriffs of the counties.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Prisons and Prisoners