Department of Corrections officials told the Senate State Affairs Committee on Feb. 13 that a Federal Communications Commission order required contract changes that altered inmate calling availability and revenue models, and that the department now provides two agency‑paid phone calls per inmate per month.

Why it matters: Phone access affects inmates’ ability to contact counsel, family and legislators, and the revenue model previously subsidized some facility communications during COVID‑era policies.

DOC director Kevin Worley and deputy commissioners described a contract with Securus for telephone services. During the height of the COVID‑era restrictions, the agency had funded additional calls for inmates; Worley said an FCC decision published in September 2024 required the state to separate communications fees from security and recording services. As a result, the department renegotiated contracts and now provides two agency‑paid phone calls per month; the per‑minute rate for calls dropped from $0.14 to $0.06 per minute.

Worley said that legislators, ombudsmen, public defenders and private attorneys can be placed on a list to receive calls without charge; the department also said it can coordinate responses to constituent letters and inquiries forwarded from legislators’ offices.

Ending: Committee members raised constituent concerns about inmate communications and letter responses; DOC offered to coordinate with legislative offices to respond to correspondence and to add numbers to the free‑call list where appropriate.