(A) The correctional institution inspection committee shall do all of the following:

(1) Subject to division (C) of this section, establish and maintain a continuing program of inspection of each state correctional institution used for the custody, control, training, and rehabilitation of persons convicted of crime and of each private correctional facility. Subject to division (C) of this section, the committee may inspect any local correctional institution used for the same purposes. Subject to division (C) of this section, the committee, and each member of the committee, for the purpose of making an inspection pursuant to this section, shall have access to any state or local correctional institution, to any private correctional facility, or to any part of the institution or facility and shall not be required to give advance notice of, or to make prior arrangements before conducting, an inspection.

(2) Evaluate and assist in the development of programs to improve the condition or operation of correctional institutions;

(3) Prepare a report for submission to the succeeding general assembly of the findings the committee makes in its inspections and of any programs that have been proposed or developed to improve the condition or operation of the correctional institutions in the state. The report shall contain a separate evaluation of the inmate grievance procedure at each state correctional institution. The committee shall submit the report to the succeeding general assembly within fifteen days after commencement of that general assembly's first regular session.

(B) Subject to division (C) of this section, the committee shall make an inspection of each state correctional institution each biennium and of each private correctional facility each biennium. The inspection shall include attendance at one general meal period and one rehabilitative or educational program.

(C) An inspection of a state correctional institution, a private correctional facility, or a local correctional institution under division (A) or (B) of this section or under section 103.74 of the Revised Code, or an inspection under section 103.76 of the Revised Code, is subject to and shall be conducted in accordance with all of the following:

(1) The inspection shall not be conducted unless the chairperson of the committee grants prior approval for the inspection.

(2) The inspection shall be conducted by at least one staff member of the committee and may include one or more of the members appointed to the committee.

(3) Unless the chairperson of the committee determines that the inspection must be conducted outside of normal business hours for any reason, including emergency circumstances or a justifiable cause that perpetuates the mission of the committee, and the chairperson specifies in the grant of prior approval for the inspection that the chairperson has so determined, the inspection shall be conducted only during normal business hours. If the chairperson determines that the inspection must be conducted outside of normal business hours and the chairperson specifies in the grant of prior approval for the inspection that the chairperson has so determined, the inspection may be conducted outside of normal business hours.

(D) As used in this section:

(1) "Local public entity," "out-of-state prisoner," and "private contractor" have the same meanings as in section 9.07 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Private correctional facility" means a correctional facility in this state that houses out-of-state prisoners and that is operated by a private contractor under a contract with a local public entity pursuant to section 9.07 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 03-17-1998; 04-29-2005; 2008 SB147 04-07-2009 .