Prison-privatization bill gets early OK in Senate
The bill would require the state Department of Corrections to issue a request for a proposal for a 500-bed facility. The proposals would be reviewed by the Legislature in the 2007 before any final decisions would be made.
"This begins the process so Utah can determine if private facilities (would save money)," said the SB175's sponsor, Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper.
Stephenson said that most of Utah's neighboring states have already moved to using prisons operated by the private sector.
Sen. Darin Peterson, R-Nephi, said he thought the bill isn't fair to counties.
"I have some extreme reservations with how the bill is constructed right now," he said. "We have a system of county jails who have taken on bonding indebtedness . . . expecting to see people come into those jails."
The bill passed 19-7 but must undergo a final vote before it is moved to the House.
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