SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — State representatives passed a bill Thursday to ensure people in the Department of Corrections are not charged unreasonable fees for sending mail. The legislation also requires more transparency surrounding the IDOC mail scanning process.
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan) said it is important that families can stay connected with their loved ones, and the state should not make that process harder.
Her bill could ensure committed people and their correspondents are not charged any fee, surcharge, or cost for mail or scanning services that exceed the standard postage rate.
“Basically, we’re just codifying into law the current practice of IDOC which is just to charge the market rate of a stamp,” Mayfield said. “So if a stamp is 25 cents on the outside, it’s 25 cents on the inside.”
Advocates said the department would be banned from generating any revenue from communication between families and loved ones.
The legislation also requires annual reporting on the rates people pay for mail and how the department spends the money.
House Bill 4235 passed unanimously out of the House and now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
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