Alabama State Senator Cam Ward says his prison construction bill is dead for this year’s legislative session.
Ward made the pronouncement yesterday. He says the bill already had heavy opposition in the House and was wounded further by tensions over redistricting and other issues in the final days of the session. Ward says opposed lawmakers had threatened to filibuster the bill.
The plan called for the state to build a new women's prison and lease, or build, three new men's prisons. The state would have borrowed between $200 million and $845 million, depending on how many prisons are leased. That price tag drew heavy criticism when the bill was read in committee this week.
Ward says he's disappointed by the bill's failure. He expects state lawmakers will eventually be back in special session later this year to address the dangerous levels of prison overcrowding in Alabama.