Free phone calls for incarcerated people at the Monroe County Jail have officially ended following a 26–3 vote by the County Legislature to approve a new one-year contract with jail communications vendor Securus Technologies. Legislator Rachel Barnhart, who voted against the measure, said the move rolls back a major reform passed in 2021—and puts financial pressure back on families trying to stay connected to loved ones.
“In 2021, we became one of the first counties in the country to offer 75 minutes of free phone and video calls each week,” said Barnhart. “Now, without public debate or adequate explanation, that support has been cut.”
Reporters interested in covering the issue are encouraged to watch the floor debate and questions to the administration here.
Under the new contract, phone calls will cost $0.07 per minute, in line with new FCC rate caps. While this is an improvement over previous rates, it’s still more than free. The 2021 plan saved families roughly $30 a month. The new arrangement will cost families about $21 a month for the same call time.
The administration argued the change was necessary because the FCC no longer allows jails to collect commissions on calls to fund free services. But Barnhart pointed out that the County’s Inmate Trust Fund currently holds $1.9 million and is expected to grow by nearly $2,800 a month through commissions on tablet purchases—fees that are not regulated by the FCC. Further, the FCC does not prohibit jails and prisons from offering free calls.
“We absolutely could have continued offering free calls,” said Barnhart. “There’s enough new revenue to fund one hour of calls per person per month without even touching the trust fund’s balance. This was a policy choice—not a budget constraint.”
According to the Sheriff’s Office, people in jail now receive just two free 15-minute calls per week—far less than the 75 minutes of communication previously provided. It remains unclear when or why the additional free calls were eliminated.
Barnhart also criticized the process, noting the legislation was submitted as a “Matter of Urgency” just one day before the vote—bypassing committee review and public input. The administration claimed the rushed vote was necessary because the contract with Securus had expired, and failure to act immediately could result in the company removing its equipment and cutting off communication. “That was a manufactured crisis,” said Barnhart. “Securus was not going to rip out its infrastructure overnight. We had plenty of time to negotiate a better outcome.”
“The administration rushed this vote through, relying on fear and incomplete information,” said Barnhart. “This was a missed opportunity to reaffirm our values and lead on an issue that impacts real people every day.”
Barnhart said she will continue to push for oversight of the Inmate Trust Fund, transparency in jail contracting, and restoration of free calls in future negotiations. The contract with Securus is set to expire in one year, offering an opportunity to revisit this issue.