Lawmakers-craft-plan-to-examine-all-Illinois-prisons

Lawmakers craft plan to examine all Illinois prisons

5/8/2008

Galesburg Register-Mail

SPRINGFIELD — In the wake of this week's announcement that the Blagojevich administration wants to close the Pontiac Correctional Center, lawmakers today unveiled legislation that would create a panel to examine all of Illinois' prisons.

Closure of any prisons would be put on hold until the new panel completes its work. The panel would devise a long-term strategy for state prisons by Sept. 1, 2009.

The proposal is meant to bring order to what now is a haphazard way of dealing with prisons, said Sen. Christine Radogno, R-Lemont.

Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, said the effort would involve Republicans as well as Democrats.

The legislation is in the form of an amendment to House Bill 1235. To become law, it will need to pass in the Senate and House. It also will need either Gov. Rod Blagojevich's signature or an override from the legislature if he vetoes it.

The development, hosting and maintenance of Senator Rutherford's web site are not paid for with taxpayer dollars. The phone line and internet service for Senator Rutherford's e-mails are also not paid for at taxpayer expense.