HARTFORD — The vendor that provides phone service for Connecticut’s prison system has withdrawn its opposition to legislation that would make calls from prison free for inmate families.
Texas-based Securus Technologies sent a letter Wednesday to State Rep. Josh Elliott, the Hamden Democrat who sponsored the bill, saying it is committed to bringing down the cost of the phone calls and is willing to enter into “good faith discussions” with the state on how to do that.
Connecticut currently charges almost $5 for each 15-minute call from prison. Supporters of the legislation say the cost of the calls should not be borne by the families of inmates, who have done nothing wrong.
Securus says it originally opposed the legislation because it is not clear who would pick up the costs.
