TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A plan for fixing problems in the troubled Kansas prison system that could have created bipartisan harmony has instead inspired finger pointing and prompted complaints that the Republican-controlled Legislature botched pieces of the next state budget.
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Republican legislators agreed that the state Department of Corrections needed extra funds to boost employees pay, deal with inmate crowding and address other issues. They also agreed on a figure: almost $36 million, or an extra 8.8% for the budget year beginning in July.
However, the department, Kelly and her fellow Democrats are unhappy because of strings Republican legislators attached to the new funds.
One provision blocks the departments plan to address staffing problems at a maximum-security state prison for men by temporarily closing a cell house and moving inmates to private prisons. Interim Corrections Secretary Roger Werholtz said another provision could thwart the departments plans to create new space to house female inmates.
Also, to spend most of the new funds, the department must first have its plans reviewed and approved by the governor and eight top legislative leaders.
Its slowing down our ability to respond to the conditions that weve got, Werholtz said during an Associated Press interview. It can create some significant problems for us if we cant get the money released quickly.
Kansas has more than 10,000 inmates, slightly more than the capacity of its prisons, with continued population growth expected. It has been beset by staffing shortages and had four riots at three prisons from June 2017 through November 2018.
Werholtz initially received praise from GOP legislators for giving them a more complete picture of the departments problems than his Republican-appointed predecessor. But some Republicans now worry that hes resisting legislative oversight.
Were talking about 35 million taxpayer dollars, said state Rep. J.R. Claeys, a central Kansas Republican and House budget committee member. There has to be a level of oversight.
GOP lawmakers added the stipulations during an impasse over the budget and Kellys unsuccessful attempt to pass a Medicaid expansion bill this year. Some Democrats saw the final version of the spending bill as a revenge budget.
Republicans said they wanted extra oversight because Kelly outlined her proposals for the extra spending last week, days before lawmakers finished their work. Werholtz said discussions about possible proposals began in late March.
The money is pretty much there, said Sen. Rick Billinger, a Republican from western Kansas involved in drafting the budgets final version. Justifying additional pay to increase staff and things like that are pretty easy to sell, I think.
Kelly said Wednesday that she is pretty confident that her administration can work with the budget provisions but called the strings attached unfortunate.
When youre playing with peoples lives, you need to be a lot more careful, she said during a brief interview.
The budget includes more than $16 million for the department to house 600 inmates in private prisons, though only a third of the money would be available immediately.
