Arizona lawmakers are finally ready to provide some compensation to those who were wrongfully convicted and incarcerated.
Both the House and Senate have given final approval to SB 1500, and Gov. Katie Hobbs signed the bill last week. The proposal by Rep. Khyl Powell would entitle those who were wronged to seek financial relief equal to twice the median income for each year they were locked up.
But the Gilbert Republican said this is about more than money.
His legislation also would include everything from mental health counseling to 120 credit hours at any college, vocational school or trade school. Powell said that is justified, saying that someone who has been locked away decades may find they do not have the skills on their release to be able to provide for themselves.
Sen. Kiana Sears said that is justified.
"This type of legislation not only rights the wrong we can never give back,'' said the Mesa Democrat. And she noted that the legislation addresses the issue "in a holistic way'' by dealing with not just the financial issues but the psychological and other ones.
There is a cost to all this.
Legislative analysts said there have been 24 exonerations in Arizona since 1989, with an average time behind bars of 5.6 years. Assuming just 20% of those exonerated in that time period submit claims, that's a one-time cost of $4.5 million.
That report also figures, based on historical averages, the annual cost going forward would be about $641,000.