1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; providing funding to counties for housing short-term 
1.3 	felony offenders; creating a short-term offender advisory task force; appropriating 
1.4 	money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 241.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [241.2715] REIMBURSEMENT OF COUNTIES FOR SHORT-TERM 
1.7 	OFFENDERS.
1.8 	For each inmate serving a felony sentence in a county or regional jail pursuant to 
1.9 	section 609.105, the commissioner of corrections must pay the county housing the inmate 
1.10 	no less than $55 per day of incarceration.

1.11 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2007.

1.12 	Sec. 2. ONETIME REIMBURSEMENT PAYMENTS TO COUNTIES FOR 
1.13 	HOUSING SHORT-TERM OFFENDERS.
 1.14 	The commissioner of corrections must reimburse counties at a rate of $55 per 
1.15 	day of incarceration for felons serving or having served short-term sentences in county 
1.16 	or regional jails pursuant to section 609.105 since July 1, 2003. The commissioner 
1.17 	shall reduce the reimbursement payments under this section by the actual amount the 
1.18 	commissioner previously paid counties housing short-term felon offenders.

1.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2007.

1.20 	Sec. 3. SHORT-TERM OFFENDER ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
 2.1 	(a) An advisory task force is established to evaluate the use and effectiveness of the 
2.2 	short-term offender program and to recommend appropriate levels of reimbursement to 
2.3 	counties for housing short-term offenders in county and regional jails.
2.4 	(b) The commissioner of corrections shall appoint and convene the first meeting of 
2.5 	the advisory task force that is composed of the following representatives: two sheriffs who 
2.6 	operate jails that house short-term offenders; two county administrators; two county board 
2.7 	members; two county attorneys; two public defenders; and two probation officers, one 
2.8 	of whom must be from a Community Corrections Act county. The commissioner must 
2.9 	seek geographical diversity among task force members so that both metropolitan and 
2.10 	out-state interests are represented. Task force members may not receive compensation 
2.11 	but may receive reimbursement for expenses related to serving on the task force. Except 
2.12 	as provided in this section, task force membersa?? terms and other task force matters are 
2.13 	subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059.
2.14 	(c) The task force must submit by January 15, 2009, a written report to the chairs of 
2.15 	the public safety finance committees in the house and senate that includes the task forcea??s 
2.16 	recommendations for managing and reforming the short-term offender program and for 
2.17 	reimbursing counties for housing short-term offenders.
2.18 	(d) Upon request, the commissioner of corrections must provide the task force 
2.19 	with technical and other support services. The commissioner must use funds from the 
2.20 	departmenta??s current operating budget to cover any costs the commissioner incurs in 
2.21 	providing services to the task force.
2.22 	(e) The task force expires on June 30, 2009.

2.23 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.24 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATIONS.
 2.25 	$....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2008 from the general fund to the commissioner 
2.26 	of corrections to fund county reimbursement payments required under section 2. This is 
2.27 	a onetime appropriation.
2.28 	$....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2008 and $....... is appropriated in fiscal 
2.29 	year 2009 from the general fund to the commissioner of corrections to fund county 
2.30 	reimbursement grants mandated under Minnesota Statutes, section 241.2715. This amount 
2.31 	shall be added to the Department of Correctionsa?? base funding.

2.32 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2007.