(12/23/2019) - Michigan is slashing monitoring fees that former prison inmates are charged while on probation or parole.

The former inmates currently are charged fees of up to $555 a month for the cost of their supervision after leaving prison. The fees are based on a sliding scale administered by the Michigan Department of Corrections.

State Rep. Tommy Brann, a Republican who owns a restaurant in the Grand Rapids area, said the amount of the fees and sliding scale hinder former inmates from successfully re-entering society.

Currently, only about 10% of people leaving prison pay their supervision fees on time.

“Most offenders are unable to afford the fees, so they simply do not pay them,” said Brann. “One of the servers at our restaurant made a mistake and got into trouble with the law. She had great intentions and wanted very much to contribute to society – but she simply couldn’t afford to pay the $13-a-day tether bill, no matter how hard she tried.”

People who didn't pay the fees often were subject to collections by the Michigan Department of Treasury, which garnished wages discouraged some from getting jobs.

Brann's bills, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed into law, set up a flat $30 a month fee for probation or parole supervision and $60 a month fee for an electronic monitoring device.

“Our communities will benefit if we help former offenders get to a place where they are self-sufficient. People who can afford to support themselves and their families are much less likely to break the law again in the future,” Brann said.

The Corrections Department expects to see little change in the amount of revenue collected annually despite the greatly reduced fees.