03-13-2010, 12:52 PM
Secretary’s Message – Legislative Session
As I told you in my email on Wednesday, my commitment is to keep you informed of issues affecting corrections during the Legislative session.
Budget
Specifically, the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee is initially looking at a total reduction of $155 million in Corrections and the elimination of 2,409 positions, many of them vacant. The House Criminal and Civil Justice budget reduction recommendations won’t be announced until next week, but are expected to be substantially less. Let me remind you that we’ve just left the starting gate in this Legislative Session and there are miles (and weeks) to go before this race is over.
Here’s what we’re doing.
Action Taken
Yesterday, I spoke to the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee to tell them specifically how further cuts will affect us, which could include prison overcrowding that triggers the early release of inmates. I discussed how these issues would affect not just officer and inmate safety, but that of the general public as well. As I told Committee Chairman Crist, I appreciate his and his Committee’s commitment to work these reductions down to a level that won’t adversely impact the lives of inmates, staff or the general public.
This week, the Senate and House moved our Department’s Legislative package to the next level, where it will be going through two more committees in both the Senate and House before going to the Floor. (See attachment below for specifics of our bill.)
We have been meeting with legislative leadership, and will be meeting with every member on our committees to communicate the damaging impacts of these potential reductions.
Staff and Benefits
There continues to be an unprecedented amount of discussion concerning the reductions of state employee benefits and positions. It is too early in the process to become alarmed about any particular proposal, but we are monitoring all of them carefully and will keep you informed over the next 49 days. Just to give you some perspective, there are more than 30 bills relating to benefits floating through the Legislature at this time. Legislators are also keenly aware of our opposition to legislation being considered that would negatively affect your health insurance, retirement, special risk status and salaries.
I am proud of our relationship with the PBA and we are working closely with them to inform legislators how these cuts could compromise the safety of staff, inmates, offenders on supervision, and the public.
I know that you will continue to read in the papers and hear on the news about bills being considered that may affect you. Just keep in mind that this race has just begun and we’ll continue fighting for you every step of the way.
As I told you in my email on Wednesday, my commitment is to keep you informed of issues affecting corrections during the Legislative session.
Budget
Specifically, the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee is initially looking at a total reduction of $155 million in Corrections and the elimination of 2,409 positions, many of them vacant. The House Criminal and Civil Justice budget reduction recommendations won’t be announced until next week, but are expected to be substantially less. Let me remind you that we’ve just left the starting gate in this Legislative Session and there are miles (and weeks) to go before this race is over.
Here’s what we’re doing.
Action Taken
Yesterday, I spoke to the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee to tell them specifically how further cuts will affect us, which could include prison overcrowding that triggers the early release of inmates. I discussed how these issues would affect not just officer and inmate safety, but that of the general public as well. As I told Committee Chairman Crist, I appreciate his and his Committee’s commitment to work these reductions down to a level that won’t adversely impact the lives of inmates, staff or the general public.
This week, the Senate and House moved our Department’s Legislative package to the next level, where it will be going through two more committees in both the Senate and House before going to the Floor. (See attachment below for specifics of our bill.)
We have been meeting with legislative leadership, and will be meeting with every member on our committees to communicate the damaging impacts of these potential reductions.
Staff and Benefits
There continues to be an unprecedented amount of discussion concerning the reductions of state employee benefits and positions. It is too early in the process to become alarmed about any particular proposal, but we are monitoring all of them carefully and will keep you informed over the next 49 days. Just to give you some perspective, there are more than 30 bills relating to benefits floating through the Legislature at this time. Legislators are also keenly aware of our opposition to legislation being considered that would negatively affect your health insurance, retirement, special risk status and salaries.
I am proud of our relationship with the PBA and we are working closely with them to inform legislators how these cuts could compromise the safety of staff, inmates, offenders on supervision, and the public.
I know that you will continue to read in the papers and hear on the news about bills being considered that may affect you. Just keep in mind that this race has just begun and we’ll continue fighting for you every step of the way.