Gov. Bentley Pushes Alabama Prison Transformation Initiative Act

Efforts to dramatically reform Alabama’s troubled prison system took another big step forward today.

The governor was joined by various lawmakers and officials including  Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard,  Senate President Pro-Tem Del Marsh, Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn and the bill’s sponsors State Representative Steve Clouse and State Senator Trip Pittman.

Both Hubbard and and Marsh are backing the governor’s plan to build four new prison facilities he says will reduce overcrowding, improve safety conditions, allow for additional inmate re-entry programs and improve operational practices and procedures for the Alabama Department of Corrections.

The Alabama Prison Transformation Initiative Act will be paid for through an $800,000,000 dollar bond issue. The governor says the savings earned by consolidating and building new prisons will in turn pay for the bonds.

Speaker Hubbard says he and Senator Marsh believe this is the right plan to make the state’s prison system a model of the nation.

If approved by lawmakers,  Governor Bentley says construction should begin by fall of 2017 and be completed within 3 years.

Among the prisons to be closed, includes the Tutwiler Prison of women in Wetumpka.