Senate Approves $800 Million Prison Construction Bill

The Alabama Senate has approved an $800 million prison construction bill over objections from both parties about a lack of debate on the issue.

The Senate voted 23 to 11 on Tuesday, after voting to end debate on the issue after just a half hour. The bill will go to the House.

A major initiative of Gov. Robert Bentley’s, the $800 million bond issue would fund four new large prisons and close most existing facilities. Significant overcrowding and violence has plagued the state’s prison system.

Sen. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, asked his colleagues to “slow down” to discuss the issue, which he said doesn’t address the fundamental overcrowding issues. The new prisons would be at 125 percent capacity.

Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, said he was “disgusted” with the lack of debate.

The following statement in response to the passage of Gov. Robert Bentley’s prison construction bill by the Alabama Senate can be attributed to Rhonda Brownstein, legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center:

“There is no doubt Alabama’s prison system is facing a crisis, and we commend the state for recognizing that this problem must be fixed,” Brownstein said. “But, by passing Gov. Bentley’s massive, $1.5 billion prison-building plan, the Alabama Senate has chosen the wrong path to reverse the prison crisis in the state. As Senator Cam Ward has said, we can’t build our way out of this crisis.  Before adding more prison beds and putting taxpayers on the hook for $1.5 billion, the Legislature needs to take much stronger steps to reduce the prison population to ensure that we no longer lock up so many people for minor, nonviolent offenses.”

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)