The Arkansas Legislature reconvened Monday after a week off, with the pressing issue of how to fund a new prison in Franklin County still looming. Senate Bill 354 proposes an additional $750 million for a 3,000-bed prison in the Vesta community, but concerns have been raised about the overall cost of the project exceeding this amount. Some lawmakers fear that the $750 million may fall short, as similar projects in other states have cost well over a billion dollars. State Senator Greg Leding highlighted the need for additional funds to cover utilities and road infrastructure to support the new facility’s location.
State Senator Bart Hester defended the proposed $825 million budget for the prison, emphasizing that the state has been responsible with taxpayer funds and has sufficient money set aside. While there has been speculation about the overall cost of the project, the legislature has only set one price for the prison.
With two weeks remaining in the session, lawmakers will need to address the funding issue for the Franklin County prison. The legislative session resumed with the Senate Education Committee meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Monday. The fate of SB 354 remains uncertain, as lawmakers debate the best course of action to ensure that the prison project is adequately funded.
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