SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois Senate Criminal Law Committee unanimously passed a bill Tuesday to ensure people in the Department of Corrections are not charged unreasonable fees for sending mail. 

Sponsors say it is important that families stay connected with their loved ones, and the state should not make that process harder.

The bill would ensure committed people and their correspondents are not charged any fee, surcharge, or cost for mail and scanning services exceeding the standard postage rate. 

"Basically, we’re just codifying into law the current practice of IDOC, which is just to charge the market rate of a stamp," said Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan). "So if a stamp is 25 cents on the outside, it’s 25 cents on the inside."

The Department of Corrections would be banned from generating revenue from communication between families and loved ones. This plan could also require annual reporting on rates paid for mail and how the department spends the money.

House Bill 4235 now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration. The measure passed unanimously out of the House earlier this month. 

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