Dant Chesser grateful as jail commissary fund bill heads to governor’s desk

Today, March 24, House Bill 1208 heads to the governor’s desk for his signature. HB 1208 requires the State Board of Accounts (SBOA) to create training requirements for the sheriffs responsible for their county’s commissary funds. The bill also requires the sheriff's office to make quarterly reports of receipts and disbursements from the fund to the county fiscal body. The bill was changed in the Senate to add hard reporting dates for each quarter: April 15, July 15, Oct. 15 and Jan. 15 of the preceding year. 

State Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser (D-Jeffersonville) released the following statement: 

“I’m thankful that my House and Senate colleagues saw the value and importance of this legislation. I did not author this bill, but I supported it at every step of the legislative process. It was the actions of Jamey Noel that made me such a staunch supporter of this legislation. 

 “We can’t turn back the clock to prevent hundreds of thousands being stolen from the Clark County community. Clark County experienced a real-life tabloid scandal that’s not going away. But we can improve our laws to protect ourselves in the future. Hard reporting dates for each quarter will protect our jail commissary funds, and ensure they’re properly used for our communities. 

“I appreciate those across the aisle who worked with me and listened to my input as the representative of a community hit hard by theft and fraud. This is a good piece of legislation, and I am thankful I contributed to its passage.”