Section 13 County correction fund

Section 13. There is hereby established on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund, to be known as the County Correction Fund. Said fund shall be maintained separate and apart from all other funds and accounts of the commonwealth. Moneys from said fund shall be used solely for the operation and maintenance of any jail or house of correction in any county that has not been abolished pursuant to the provisions of chapter 34B or other applicable provision of law, including other statutorily authorized facilities and functions of the office of the sheriff of any such county and programs to reduce overcrowding in the jails and houses of correction of any such county.

In order to obtain money from said fund, the sheriff of a county that has not been abolished pursuant to the provisions of chapter 34B or other applicable provision of law, shall make application to the county government finance review board on a form prescribed by the secretary of administration and finance. Each such request shall be accompanied by copies of the budget for any jail or house of correction in such county for the current fiscal year and the previous fiscal year. The sheriff shall submit such other information and documentation as the board may require. The board shall review all of the information provided by a county sheriff and make a determination as to the amount of money, if any, which shall be given to the applicant from the fund, before any funds are given to the applicant notification shall be provided to the house and senate committees on ways and means.

The board shall develop guidelines for implementing the provisions of this section. The board shall include among such guidelines a requirement that during a fiscal year in which money is granted to a county from the fund, a county shall expend for the operation and maintenance of the county jails and houses of correction, including other statutorily authorized facilities and functions of the office of the sheriff and programs to reduce overcrowding in the jails and houses of correction, an amount not less than one hundred and two and one-half percent of the amount expended for such purposes from tax revenues levied pursuant to sections thirty and thirty-one of chapter thirty-five in the preceding fiscal year.