Lawsuit filed to keep Hillsborough prison open

A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of inmates and volunteers at a Hillsborough County women's prison intended to force the state to keep it open.

The Attorney General's Office, representing the Department of Corrections, has filed a motion to have the suit dismissed. Circuit Judge Terry Lewis is presiding over a hearing about the lawsuit this afternoon.

The Department of Corrections wants to close Hillsborough Correctional Institution as a cost-saving measure. The House's budget includes funds to keep the prison open, but the Senate's does not.

Updates to come.