Statewide Iowa — Republicans in the Iowa House have approved a budget that provides a more than seven million dollar spending boost to the state prison system.
Representative Gary Worthan a Republican from Storm Lake, led development of the budget plan.
Representative Todd Prichard, a Democrat from Charles City, notes that a year ago Wednesday, two employees at the state prison in Anamosa were murdered by two inmates attempting to escape.
Prichard unsuccessfully tried to attach policy to the budget that would have increased the penalty for attacking a prison employee and let prison workers bring up safety related topics in contract negotiations.
Prichard’s proposal was tabled on procedural grounds. The budget plan for the state’s entire justice system was approved with the support of all but two House Republicans. It provides a nearly 13 million dollar increase over the current year’s budget for prisons and the parole board as well as the attorney general’s office, the Department of Public Safety, the Iowa National Guard and the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
