State to appeal prison health care ruling

Florida Department of Corrections Deputy Secretary Mike Crews said Tuesday that the state will appeal the ruling by a Leon County Circuit Court judge throwing out the state decision to use a budgetary committee to privatize prison health care services.

"The Department disagrees with, and intends to appeal, the ruling issued by the Second Judicial Circuit Court,'' Crews said in a statement. "This ruling creates an anticipated budget shortfall of up to $90 million over the next 18 months.  This will jeopardize other Department needs and legislative budget priorities which could include additional reductions in staffing and program services across the Department.  While we work to resolve this issue the Department will continue to provide constitutionally required healthcare services to inmates."  

Melissa Sellers, spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Scott, echoed the sentiment in a statement: 

“This ruling is wrong and puts in jeopardy nearly $90 million over the next two years that could be used to fund critical priorities – including increasing K-12 education funding,'' Sellers said. "We are working with the Department of Corrections to appeal the decision and protect hundreds of other state jobs that the Department could be forced to eliminate if they lose nearly $90 million in expected savings.” 

 

 

 

Comments

[OMG]

By the time any appeal would be heard, with Session approaching, it would be quicker to just do this through the correct process... and leave less egg on the state's face.

[Thomas botelho]

This governor's people spend a whole heck of a lot of time in the courtroom... I wonder how many $$$ they spend there?

[Maria]

The people of Florida DO NOT want to privatize the prison system. It is morally and ethically wrong. DCF privatized case management for children and it has been a total and complete failure. The current administration only cares about businesses making money.

[jj]

This Governor and legislature are trying to ram privatization down the throats of the citizens. They tell you about supposed savings but never about the true costs and the future costs. It is a scam pure and simple. I see Jeb is also up to his old tricks with online education, trust me he is in it to make money nothing else. Beware of those bearing gifts.

[Suzen]

Florida Department of Corrections Deputy Secretary Mike Crews said Tuesday that the state will appeal the ruling by a Leon County Circuit ...

[alissa]

A proposal from the Florida Department of Corrections floats the idea of further ... allow for-profit vendors to assume greater responsibility for the state's prison system. ... “We do not have a list when it comes to privatizing,” she said. ... that Rick Scott is pushing for if you don't lock people up for things like that?