Another Hearing Set In Florida Prison Privatization Case

July 31, 2012

A Leon County circuit judge has agreed to hold a hearing next week in the long-running dispute about whether the Florida Department of Corrections will privatize prison health services.

Circuit Judge Kevin Carroll has scheduled an August 8 hearing, according to an online court docket. The Florida Nurses Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees filed a lawsuit in January challenging a legislative move last year to privatize inmate health services.

Carroll early this month declined to rule on the constitutionality of the Legislature’s decision because it was included in budget fine print, known as “proviso” language, which expired at the June 30 end of the fiscal year.

The nurses association and AFSCME, a state employees union, asked Carroll for a rehearing. Subsequently, the DOC said it would go ahead with the privatization, regardless of the expiration of the proviso language. The DOC said it had the authority to contract with two private companies under existing state law.

By The News Service of Florida

Comments

One Response to “Another Hearing Set In Florida Prison Privatization Case”

  1. jess on August 1st, 2012 6:31 pm

    I was under the impression this was already a done deal. I am proud to see it may not be. Citizens look at the records of other states who have privatized prison or prison services. It is alarming. Also a recent study in Arizona showed that private prison contracts failed to save money as law demanded, but rather cost money, I challenge you to get on the phone and call your representative’s and senator. Florida does not need a repeat of Mississippi, Indiana, Arizona, New Mexico and more. Do your own research on the net and google corrections 1.