Arkansas lawmaker proposes shift from controversial prison plan
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State Sen. Bryan King (R-Green Forest) is working on a draft bill that would eliminate the need for the proposed 3,000-bed prison project in Charleston, the Arkansas Advocate reports.
The big picture: Arkansas prisons frequently have more inmates than capacity, data analyzed by Axios shows, so each month about 2,000 people remain in county jails while awaiting a bed in a prison.
- Yes, but: Many Franklin County residents oppose the project being built there, citing poor infrastructure, challenging topography, a lack of workforce and fear of declining land values.
State of play: King's draft proposal would reduce overcrowding in county jails by investing in new construction, expansions, or renovations of jails in counties with the highest prisoner backlog.
- The proposal calls for the state Department of Corrections to use about $400 million already allocated for a new prison, and about $200 million more from the state's reserve fund to support county jails.
Context: Opponents have said the new prison will likely cost far more than the $470 million estimate from two years ago. Members of the Franklin County and River Valley Coalition, a group of residents fighting the project, said it could be as high as $1.5 billion, based on projects in other states.
What they're saying: "Once we get into [the prison] project, we're in for the biggest — one of the biggest — financial boondoggles in Arkansas history. You can see that already," King said at a news conference Wednesday.
- King noted county jails would get near immediate relief under his plan, rather than waiting years for "a big mega prison," per Talk Business & Politics.
What's next: King indicated he's working on another bill that would take a "holistic approach" to address crime in Arkansas.
- Arkansas' 95th General Assembly convenes Monday at noon.
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