After years of advocacy and complaints about the high cost of keeping in touch, inmates in Texas and their families are getting a financial break. A significant reduction in rates for inmate phone and video calls has been approved, as reported by the Texas Tribune. In a move aimed at curbing what FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel called "unconscionable" communication costs, the FCC voted to cap the price of these calls to as low as 5 cents per minute.
The new rule ushers in a new era of fairness in a system where a simple phone call could previously cost as much as an unlimited monthly cell plan. According to the FCC's adopted regulation, these lowered rate caps are tailored based on jail size, ranging from 6 to 12 cents for phone calls and 11 to 25 cents for video calls. Drew Willey, a Houston attorney and advocate for inmates' rights, praised the new FCC regulations in an interview, saying it would help reign in the costs imposed by private corporations on inmates and their families.
Under the new mandates, which vary between local and state levels, Texas state correctional facilities will now charge a flat rate of 5 cents per minute for calls. This is a significant decrease from the average 23 cents per minute rate charged in Texas jails in 2021. Furthermore, revenue from these calls, under Texas law, is to be divided between the provider and the state, with 40 percent of the revenue earmarked for the Texas Crime Victims Fund and the remainder entering the general revenue fund.
Gone are also the days when telecom companies could profit from so-called "ancillary services" fees or seize funds from released inmates' accounts, as unveiled in the Texas Tribune. The new regulation puts a stop to these practices, with companies now required to attempt to return any unused funds to released individuals or transfer them to state programs designed to safeguard unclaimed money. This change was particularly poignant in light of a case involving Global Tel*Link, which reportedly made over $1.2 million a month from unused funds over eight years.
All correctional facilities in the nation must comply with the FCC's order by specific dates stretching into 2026, depending on their size and existing contracts with telecom companies. The announced measures not only aim to ease financial burdens on inmates and their families but also strive to provide better access for inmates with disabilities. The determination of the FCC, strengthened by the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, underscores the long-fought battle to ensure equitable communication for all incarcerated individuals—a notion echoed by advocacy groups like the Lioness Justice Impacted Women's Alliance.
