LD 475
pg. 3
Page 2 of 5 An Act To Improve Conditions for Inmates with Mental Illness Page 4 of 5
Download Bill Text
LR 671
Item 1

 
2. Powers. Each board of visitors may inspect the
correctional facility to which it is assigned, may interview
any prisoner and may make recommendations on the management of
the facility or any other matter it considers appropriate to
the commissioner. Each board shall report its findings under
this subsection to the commissioner, the Governor and the
joint standing committee of the Legislature having
jurisdiction over criminal justice matters by January 5th of
each year.__All use of administrative segregation that lasts
beyond 72 hours for inmates with histories of mental illness
or substance abuse disorders, or both, must be reported to the
board of visitors, and the board shall examine the need for
the inmate's continued administrative segregation and make
recommendations regarding the administrative segregation's
impact on the inmate's health and well-being.__The annual
report must include a summary of the frequency of such
segregation and the board's evaluation of its impact on
prisoners.

 
3. Duties. Boards of visitors have the following duties.

 
A. Boards of visitors shall send copies of all
recommendations to the members of the joint standing
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over
health and institutional services criminal justice
matters.

 
B. Each board of visitors shall appear before the joint
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction
over health and institutional services criminal justice
matters upon request.

 
PART E

 
Sec. E-1. 30-A MRSA §1651, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A,
§2 and Pt. C, §106 and amended by PL 1989, c. 6, c. 9, §2 and
c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10, is repealed and the following
enacted in its place:

 
§1651. Examination of jails; boards of visitors

 
1.__Examination.__At the commencement of each session
required by law, the county commissioners shall examine the
jail in their county and take necessary precautions for the
security of prisoners, for the prevention of infection and
sickness and for the accommodations of the prisoners.

 
2.__Appointment.__The chair of the county commissioners for
each county shall appoint a board of 5 visitors for each
correctional facility under their supervision.

 
A.__Members of boards of visitors serve for terms of one
year.


Page 2 of 5 Top of Page Page 4 of 5