BILL NUMBER: AB 1487 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Hill FEBRUARY 27, 2009 An act to amend Section 4011.2 of the Penal Code, relating to inmate medical costs. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1487, as introduced, Hill. Inmate medical expenses. Under existing law, a sheriff, chief or director of corrections, or a chief of police is authorized to charge a fee in the amount of $3 for each inmate-initiated medical visit of an inmate confined in a county or city jail who has money in his or her personal account. Existing law authorizes the medical provider to waive the fee, requires the medical provider to waive the fee in any life-threatening or emergency situation, as defined, exempts followup medical visits from the fee, and requires all moneys received pursuant to this provision to be transferred to the county or city general fund. Existing law requires that the above fee be charged to the inmate' s account at his or her respective facility and prohibits a denial of medical care to an inmate because of a lack of funds in that account. This bill would increase the above fee to $6. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 4011.2 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 4011.2. (a) Notwithstanding Section 4011.1, a sheriff, chief or director of corrections, or chief of police is authorized to charge a fee in the amount ofthree dollars ($3)six dollars ($6) for each inmate-initiated medical visit of an inmate confined in a county or city jail. (b) The fee shall be charged to the inmate's personal account at the facility. If the inmate has no money in his or her personal account, there shall be no charge for the medical visit. (c) An inmate shall not be denied medical care because of a lack of funds in his or her personal account at the facility. (d) The medical provider may waive the fee for any inmate-initiated treatment and shall waive the fee in any life-threatening or emergency situation, defined as those health services required for alleviation of severe pain or for immediate diagnosis and treatment of unforeseen medical conditions that if not immediately diagnosed and treated could lead to disability or death. (e) Followup medical visits at the direction of the medical staff shall not be charged to the inmate. (f) All moneys received by a sheriff, chief or director of corrections, or chief of police pursuant to this section shall be transferred to the county or city general fund.