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| Corrections workers oppose prison privatization bills en masse during hearing |
| By floridaindependent.com - Ashley Lopez |
| Published: 01/25/2012 |
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Dozens of current and former corrections workers from all over the state showed up at a state Senate rules committee meeting yesterday to voice their opposition to two bills that would allow the state to privatize prisons. Despite the emotional testimony warning of the calamitous effects of prison privatization, the bill eventually moved forward to its final committee stop. About 50 public testimony cards were submitted for the hearing. All of the speakers, except for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, spoke in opposition of the bill. One of the bills heard yesterday would privatize correctional facilities, which legislators tried and failed to accomplish last session. The other would allow the privatization of state functions to go through more secretively. If passed, the bill would allow the privatization of a public agency function to move along without being evaluated for feasibility, cost-effectiveness or efficiency. However, legislators backed off this part of the legislation: An amendment passed yesterday reinstated the need for the state to analyze both the benefits and drawbacks of privatizing a government function before moving forward with its plans. Committee members such as state Sen. Don Gaetz, R- Destin, argued that the bills were necessary cost-saving measures that would allow the state to cut less money for education and health services. The Senate budget committee for health and human services met at the beginning of the session. Members lamented that once more they were tasked with cutting public health services after years at chipping away at them. “We have an obligation to balance to budget,” Gaetz said. Groups ranging from the Teamsters, the Florida AFL-CIO, employees of the Department of Corrections and others all warned that prison privatization would threaten public safety and put corrections employees out of work. Many public testifiers warned that private prisons used inferior training and policies for their employees, and cut corners to save money. Matt Puckett, a representative for the Police Benevolent Association, said the Legislature was making a “grave error.” Puckett’s organization is a union that represents corrections officers and prison guards. The group won a lawsuit against the state’s efforts to privatize prisons last session. Read More. |
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