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 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Legislature on Thursday moved to head off a federal takeover of the state prison system, approving a huge borrowing plan to add beds for inmates and refocus efforts on rehabilitation programs.
But despite its scope — nearly $7.8 billion in state money — the bipartisan plan ran into immediate resistance by labor unions, prison reform groups and some lawmakers. They questioned whether it would fix the prison system or create even more problems by allowing room for thousands of additional inmates.
The package would add 53,000 beds; boost education, job training and other rehabilitation programs; and allow the governor to continue to transfer thousands of inmates out of state. It includes more than $6.1 billion for construction of state prison cells, $300 million for various other prison improvements and more than $1.2 billion for 13,000 beds to be built at county jails. Local governments would contribute an additional $300 million.
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