(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “In-person visit” means an on-site visit that may include barriers. In-person visits include interactions in which an inmate has physical contact with a visitor, the inmate is able to see a visitor through a barrier, or the inmate is otherwise in a room with a visitor without physical contact. “In-person visit” does not include an interaction between an inmate and a visitor through the use of an on-site, two-way, audio-video terminal.

(2) “Video visitation” means interaction between an inmate and a member of the public through the means of an audio-visual communication device when the member of the public is located at a local detention facility or at a remote location.

(3) “Local detention facility” has the same meaning as defined in Section 6031.4.

(b) A local detention facility that offered in-person visitation as of January 1, 2017, may not convert to video visitation only.

(c) A local detention facility shall not charge for visitation when visitors are onsite and participating in either in-person or video visitation. For purposes of this subdivision, “onsite” is defined as at the location where the inmate is housed.

(d) If a local detention facility offered video visitation only as of January 1, 2017, on-site video visitation shall be offered free of charge, and the first hour of remote video visitation per week shall be offered free of charge if the facility offers remote video visitation.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 363, Sec. 8. (SB 112) Effective September 28, 2017.)