Wisconsin bill aims to ban high fees for jail phone calls

Wisconsin Democratic lawmakers are proposing a law that would stop county jails from charging excessive fees for phone calls.

The bill would cap jail call charges to the same rates that national prepaid wireless telephone providers charge, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.

It comes after a report from the Prison Policy Initiative found that some Wisconsin counties charges over $14 for a 15-minute phone call.

Democrat Rep. Samba Baldeh is supporting the bill. He says those charges amount to making a profit on inmates who have not been convicted of any crimes and cuts them off from friends and family.