S 0299 General Bill, By Thomas

Similar(S 315, H 3101)
 A BILL TO AMEND TITLE 24, CHAPTER 13, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO PRISONERS CONFINED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, BY ADDING
 ARTICLE 20 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE OFFENDER EMPLOYMENT REFERRAL PROGRAM WITHIN
 THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AS A STATEWIDE EMPLOYMENT REFERRAL PROGRAM
 DESIGNED TO REINTEGRATE INMATES INTO THE LABOR FORCE AFTER SERVING THEIR
 SENTENCES IN A DEPARTMENT FACILITY.

   02/08/01  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   02/08/01  Senate Referred to Committee on Corrections and Penology SJ-6

TO AMEND TITLE 24, CHAPTER 13, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PRISONERS CONFINED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, BY ADDING ARTICLE 20 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE OFFENDER EMPLOYMENT REFERRAL PROGRAM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AS A STATEWIDE EMPLOYMENT REFERRAL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REINTEGRATE INMATES INTO THE LABOR FORCE AFTER SERVING THEIR SENTENCES IN A DEPARTMENT FACILITY.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 13, Title 24 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 20

Section 24-13-2100. There is hereby created the Offender Employment Referral Program, which shall be administered by the South Carolina Department of Corrections as a statewide employment referral program designed to employ inmates serving sentences within a department facility through job placement services offered by the South Carolina Employment Security Commission and the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services.

Section 24-13-2110. To implement the Offender Employment Referral Program, the Department of Corrections, the Employment Security Commission, and the Department of Probation, Pardon and Parole Services shall adopt a memorandum of understanding that establishes the respective responsibilities of each agency. Each agency shall adopt policies and promulgate regulations necessary to implement the memorandum of understanding and may amend the memorandum, their policies, and regulations.

Section 24-13-2120. The memorandum of understanding between the Department of Corrections, the Employment Security Commission, and the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services shall establish the role of each agency in:

(1) ascertaining and encouraging an inmate's chances for employment by providing him vocational and educational assessment while he is incarcerated;

(2) developing a skills enhancement program for an inmate with cooperation of other governmental, educational, and private entities by using available public or private financial resources;

(3) referring the inmate upon release to the Offender Employment Referral Program through his parole or supervision officer;

(4) encouraging and referring eligible persons to the Offender Employment Referral Program;

(5) ensuring that a person who participates in the Offender Employment Referral Program avails himself of its services; and

(6) developing and maintaining a statewide network for finding positions of employment that require the skills possessed by Offender Employment Referral Program participants and helping participants to secure employment.

Section 24-13-2130. (A) The Director of the Department of Corrections shall appoint the Director of the Offender Employment Referral Program to coordinate the efforts of the affected state agencies and expedite the delivery of services to participants in the project.

(B) The Offender Employment Referral Program director shall:

(1) propose for promulgation by the Director of the Department of Corrections standards and guidelines for the operation of the Offender Employment Referral Program;

(2) obtain information from appropriate state agencies and individuals affiliated with the program to determine whether the program should be modified;

(3) disseminate information throughout the State about the program; and

(4) train Department of Corrections staff members to assist in implementing the program.

Section 24-13-2140. To assist in the integration into the labor force of former inmates, the Department of Corrections through the Offender Employment Referral Program shall provide former inmates information from:

(1) local job training and employment referral services;

(2) the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services; and

(3) the Office of Veterans Affairs.

Section 24-13-2150. The Department of Corrections shall adopt a memorandum of understanding with each of the following agencies that establishes the respective responsibilities of the department and each agency to provide information to former inmates to assist them in reintegrating themselves into the labor force:

(1) the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services;

(2) the Office of Veterans Affairs; and

(3) the Department of Social Services.

Section 24-13-2160. The Director of the Department of Corrections shall coordinate the development of each memoranda of understanding contained in this article and shall prepare an annual report describing the number of former inmates who received services under each memoranda during the previous year. In addition, he shall submit a copy of the annual report to the Governor, the Chairman of the Senate Corrections and Penology Committee, and the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.