Senate says no to cash for criminals in the Sunshine State

With the jobs of 4,300 correctional officers and the safety of South Florida residents hanging in the balance, Fla. Senate President Mike Haridopolis called a vote today on his dangerous prison privatization legislation. Although there are 28 members in his caucus, Haridolpolis faced a bipartisan, anti-privatization coalition of 21 senators. Their no votes today effectively killed the prison privatization bill for the rest of the session.

The writing was on the wall after a vote yesterday on an amendment to bury the legislation, when anti-privatization Sen. Dennis Jones said, “I liked the concept of the study, but I like the idea of just killing the bill better.” Other lawmakers, desperate to keep the private prison plan alive, have made dubious claims that Gov. Rick Scott already has the authority to privatize corrections facilities, even without an anti-worker law from the legislature.

The privatization plan would have put the Florida government in league with companies like the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) whose letter offering services to 48 state governments was made public today. In the letter, CCA asks for a 20-year management contract and assurance that their facilities will remain at least 90 percent full—encouraging a state with falling crime rates, such as Florida, to take steps to keep the cells full.

This privatization legislation would have had negative, long-lasting effects that would have taken decades to repair, while putting corrections officers out of work and South Floridians in danger. AFSCME members have been 100 percent behind the fight that took this legislation off the table and finally put it to rest.