CORRECTIONS - Corrections Budget Begins to Take Shape

Corrections Budget Begins to Take Shape

The Senate Corrections budget has moved out of the Appropriations Committee to the Senate floor and the House Corrections budget has moved out of subcommittee to the House Appropriations Committee. The next step for the House budget would be for it to be passed by the House Appropriations Committee and to be sent to the House floor for consideration. The House and Senate versions of the FY 2012-13 Corrections budget contain several differences and if they are passed by each chamber with those differences, the bills will be reconciled in a conference committee. Once an identical bill is approved by both the House and the Senate, it will be submitted to Governor Snyder, who can sign it into law as is, or he can veto line items within the bill or the entire bill completely. There are still several steps in the process prior to the bill becoming law.

Summary of the Senate Bill:

The Senate authorizes a $60.59 million increase in the Corrections budget, but the recommendation is $67.32 million less than the Governor's FY 2012-13 executive recommendation for the Corrections budget. Significant changes include:

· $58 million savings through the elimination of 580 FTEs at individual facilities;

· $55.28 million savings through full-year contingency plans associated with the closure of Mound Correctional Facility and reduction in Field Operations Administration FTEs, competitive bidding of specific departmental functions and work units;

· $1.4 million reduction in prisoner reentry funding;

· $19.18 million funding for special equipment for security enhancements, closed facility maintenance, TASERs, surveillance cameras, personal protection devices, and cell phone detection technology;

· $4.5 million funding for Cities in Distress initiative designed to alleviate jail overcrowding in high-crime areas;

· $128.56 million in economic adjustments; and

· $1.23 million for one-time technology enhancements.

Here is a link to the Senate Fiscal Agency Summary:

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2012-SB-0951

House Budget Summary:

The House of Representatives authorizes a GF/GP Corrections budget of $1.945 billion. This is about $37 million less than the Governor's executive recommendation and $5.48 million less than current year funding. Significant changes include:

· $42.25 million savings from the closure of the Michigan Reformatory in Ionia, MI;

· $12.75 million savings through the reduction in funding to the Cost Efficient Housing Initiative aimed at exploring public-private partnerships to reduce the overall cost of prisoner housing;

· $20.14 million savings by imposing an across-the-board cut to all correctional facilities;

· $2 million savings from funding adjustments to the County Jail Reimbursement Program;

· $5 million in health care savings;

· $13.2 million savings through the elimination of 114.4 FTEs for perimeter security patrols;

· $2.2 million savings in shifting direct observation duties for suicidal and self-injuries prisoners from staff to trained prisoners;

· $2.4 million savings through elimination of 32.8 FTEs throughout the department;

· $34.2 million in full-year savings from closure of Mound Correctional Facility;

· $7 million increase in funding for bed space needs at operational facilities as a result of facility closures;

· $4.3 million increase in funding from prisoner phone revenue;

· $11.36 million funding to finance security-related capital outlay projects, including personal protection devices, TASERs, ballistic vests, security cameras, and contraband detection equipment;

· $4.5 million funding for the Public Safety Initiative to assist distressed communities with jail space concerns;

· $3 million increase in funding for new corrections officer training;

· $3.5 million to maintain closed correctional facilities;

· $2.4 million increase in funding for information technology management and development; and

· $4.85 million savings from a reduction in residential housing and prisoner reentry funding for parolees, and elimination of additional correctional facility FTEs.

The House Corrections budget information can be found at the following link:

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2012-HB-5383