Prisoners serving time in the Allegheny County Jail soon could be required to provide up to eight hours of work daily.

“The taxpayers would benefit, and the prisoners could learn some new skills,” Councilman Vince Gastgeb said of the policy he proposed Tuesday night to Allegheny County Council.

Mr. Gastgeb, a Bethel Park Republican, and council Vice President Charles Martoni, D-Swissvale, co-sponsored the bill, which was sent to council’s Public Safety Committee for review.