Can COVID-19 Recovery Money Be Used for Alabama Prisons?
State officials are asking the federal government whether COVID-19 recovery money can be used to fix Alabama’s prison problems.
The state is hoping to find the funding needed to renovate prisons and build new ones.
Lawmakers have asked about using money from the American Rescue Plan. Now, Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn is asking the same question of the U.S. Treasury Department.
It is possible that Gov. Kay Ivey could call a special session of the Legislature to address prison funding. Her plan to pay for the construction of privately-owned prisons that the state would lease was hit with financial setbacks earlier this year.
The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the state last year due to prison conditions. It hopes a judge will declare Alabama’s prison conditions unconstitutional.
