CCS#2/SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 144 & 46 - This act requires every chief law enforcement officer, sheriff, public or private jailer, correctional officer and regional jail district official to conduct an inquiry of pending outstanding warrants on all prisoners prior to their release from custody. No prisoner shall be released or transferred prior to a warrant check. If any warrant check indicates outstanding charges or warrants from another jurisdiction, the appropriate authorities shall be notified and the prisoner shall not be released except to the custody of that jurisdiction, unless the warrant is dismissed.

Any person with actual knowledge of a violation may report to the Attorney General, who may appoint a sheriff of another county to investigate. Failure to perform a warrant check with the intent to release a prisoner with outstanding warrants shall be a Class A misdemeanor. A law enforcement member shall not be deemed to violate the requirement to check outstanding warrants due to inability to complete the check because the MULES or NCIC computer systems were not accessible.

The act also increases the penalty for the crime of aiding escape of a prisoner being held on a felony charge or conviction, from a Class D felony (up to 5 years) to a Class B felony (5 to 15 years).

The act also provides that the Department of Revenue shall not release the home address of any peace officer or that of a family member. In addition, any driver involved in a collision resulting in serious physical injury and has been arrested, or who has been involved in a collision resulting in a fatality, is deemed to have consented to a blood alcohol test.
JOAN GUMMELS