ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)--IN HER BUDGET PLAN Gov. KATHY HOCHUL PROPOSES CLOSING FIVE STATE PRISONS WITH 90 DAY NOTICE, A MEASURE THE SENATE KEPT IN THEIR BUDGET PROPOSALS WITH AN AMENDMENT TO DOUBLE THE time line TO 180 DAYS.  

THE GGov.’S PLAN INTENDS TO ADDRESS WORKFORCE SHORTAGES IN PRISONS.  

BUT NOT ALL LAWMAKERS ARE ON BOARD. THE ASSEMBLY REJECTED THE PROPOSAL AND MANY REPUBLICANS CONTINUE TO push back SAYING IT COULD OVERLOAD CURRENT CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.  

“I’m not for keeping prisons open just to keep them open but we have a worker shortage in our prison system now and I think these closures are more focused on the worker shortage than it is on the lack of inmates and the actual capacity to handle the inmates that are there,” said Sen. Tom O’Mara (R-Big Flats).

O’MARA ADDed THE time line OF 90 NOTICE ISN’T ENOUGH FOR CORRECTIONS WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.  

SOME DEMOCRATS ARGUEd THE HIGH RATES OF STAFFING VACANCIES HAVE RESULTED IN poor conditions in prisons. 

"The populations at many Department of Corrections and Community Supervision facilities are far below their capacities, largely due to New York's total prison population thankfully decreasing by over 53% over the past 20 years. And yet, these same facilities have a high level of staff vacancies, resulting in worse conditions for both incarcerated individuals and overworked staff.," said Sen. Julia Salazar (D-18th Senate District). 
 

THIS PROPOSAL COULD IMPROVE PRISON CONDITIONS, ACCORDING TO SOME CORRECTIONS ADVOCATES.  

“I think by alleviating the staffing pressures, by being able to consolidate the department's resources, it would seem that would actually bolster the ability of the department to be able to provide medical services, program services,” said Sumeet Sharma, director of the Correctional Association of New York. 

GOV. HOCHUL ALREADY CLOSED SIX PRISONS IN 2022-- INCLUDING SOUTHPORT CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN CHEMUNG COUNTY.