Sheriffs who house state offenders; authorize to establish work program with Dept. of Transportation.

HB 1475 allows county sheriffs operating jails or regional facilities housing state inmates to create work programs where inmates assist the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). Inmates must be at least three years from release, cannot have recent sex crimes or violent felony convictions, and MDOT handles transportation while sheriffs manage security. The bill requires the state Department of Corrections to pay facilities $34 daily per participating inmate (increasing the prior rate from $32.71), effective until July 1, 2029. This directly affects county correctional facilities, MDOT, and state inmates eligible for work programs.