{"id":2327389,"date":"2024-08-20T09:49:59","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T13:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawmakers-grill-corrections-over-states-largest-proposed-contract-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-20T09:55:12","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T13:55:12","slug":"lawmakers-grill-corrections-over-states-largest-proposed-contract-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawmakers-grill-corrections-over-states-largest-proposed-contract-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers grill Corrections over state\u2019s largest proposed contract &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flawmakers-grill-corrections-over-states-largest-proposed-contract-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2327389&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Arkansas\u2063 lawmakers expressed significant concerns during a recent meeting regarding a proposed two-year healthcare contract for inmates with\u200d Wellpath, \u2064which could cost the state $235 million. The contract is\u2062 set \u2063at $7,500\u200b per inmate annually and spans ten\u2064 years, with the option\u200d to cancel after the first two years.\u2063 The total\u2063 cost could \u2062reach approximately $1.6 billion, and \u2064there is potential \u200cfor price increases if the inmate\u200b population \u200cgrows. The contract is\u200b entirely state-funded, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-chairwoman-ward-wants-decertification-of-ariz-election-results\/\" title=\"GOP chairwoman Ward wants decertification of Ariz. election results\">raising concerns<\/a> about\u200d its impact \u200con the Department of\u200b Corrections&#8217; budget, which has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/defense-stocks-outperform-after-russian-invasion-of-ukraine\/\" title=\"Defense Stocks &#039;Outperform&#039; After Russian Invasion of Ukraine\">fiscal year 2025<\/a> allocation of\u200b about $99 million. Lawmakers, \u2063including \u2062Senator Bart\u200c Hester,\u2063 emphasized that this request represents\u200d the largest financial ask \u200dfrom the legislature \u2062in \u200dArkansas&#8217;s history.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Lawmakers grill Corrections over state&rsquo;s largest proposed contract<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1734185\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; Arkansas lawmakers grilled the Department of Corrections Department on Monday over a two-year inmate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/no-spike-in-florida-coronavirus-cases-despite-no-mask-mandate\/\" title=\"No Spike in Florida Coronavirus Cases Despite No Mask Mandate\">health care<\/a> contract that could cost the state $235 million.<\/p>\n<p>The contract with Wellpath amounts to $7,500 per inmate annually, according to information presented to state lawmakers at the Arkansas Legislative Council Review Subcommittee.<\/p>\n<p>The 10-year contract locks in the annual rate and can be canceled after the second year, corrections officials told the subcommittee. The estimated cost of the entire contract is $1.6 billion, according to state documents. The price could increase.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The price will grow if we increase our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maryland-parents-demand-schools-defund-school-resource-officers\/\" title=\"Maryland Parents Demand Schools \u2018Defund\u2019 School Resource Officers\">population size<\/a> but the rate at which they will charge us for that increased population stays the same,&rdquo; said Lindsay Wallace, Department of Corrections secretary.<\/p>\n<p>The contract is 100% funded by the state.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is by far the largest ask of this Legislature in the history of Arkansas,&rdquo; said Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Spring.<\/p>\n<p>The money for the contract is not in the department&rsquo;s budget, Wallace told Hester. The department&rsquo;s allocation for fiscal year 2025 is around $99 million. The difference is between $35 and $36 million, said Chad Brown, DOC&rsquo;s chief financial officer.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think there is any danger of this contract increasing because the Board of Corrections refuses to add beds,&rdquo; Hester said. &ldquo;What we are being asked to do is pay more for prisoners&ndash;our rapists, our pedophiles, our murders&ndash;more health care than you are for your officer&rsquo;s health care, than you are for your health care. I guess we are all understanding that that&rsquo;s the commitment we are making as a state, that the worst among us deserve the best health care.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Adding additional prison beds is a sore spot between the Board of Corrections, state lawmakers and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Last November, Sanders and former Secretary of Corrections Joe Profiri held a news conference saying the Board should add 500 new beds as Profiri requested. The Board said the request was not properly vetted, and Profiri was fired. The Board hired its own attorney and sued the state over a law that gives the governor the authority over the Department of Corrections secretary and not the board.<\/p>\n<p>The subcommittee did not greenlight the contract but it will go before the full legislative council on Friday.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1734185\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1734185\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arkansas lawmakers questioned the Department of Corrections on Monday regarding a proposed two-year inmate healthcare contract that could total $235 million. The agreement with Wellpath is set at $7,500 per inmate each year, as detailed in a presentation to the Arkansas Legislative Council Review Subcommittee. This 10-year contract guarantees the annual rate and can be terminated after two years, according to corrections officials. State documents estimate the overall cost of the contract at $1.6 billion, with potential for price increases. &#8220;The cost will rise if our population grows, but the rate for that increase will remain unchanged,&#8221; explained Lindsay Wallace, secretary of the Department of Corrections. The entire funding for this contract comes from state resources. Senator Bart Hester remarked that this request represents &#8220;by far the largest ask&#8221; from this Legislature in Arkansas&#8217;s history. Wallace informed Hester that there are no funds allocated in the department\u2019s budget for this contract; their budget for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $99 million, leaving a gap of about $35 to $36 million according to Chad Brown, DOC\u2019s chief financial officer. Hester expressed confidence that there would be no risk of increased costs since he believes the Board of Corrections is unlikely to approve additional prison beds: \u201cWhat we are being asked to do is pay more for prisoners\u2014our rapists, our pedophiles, our murderers\u2014more healthcare than what we provide for your officers\u2019 health care or even your own.\u201d He emphasized that as a state commitment means providing top-tier healthcare even to those who have committed serious crimes.<\/p>\n<p>The issue of adding more prison beds has been contentious among lawmakers and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders alongside the Board of Corrections. Last November saw Sanders and former Secretary Joe Profiri advocating for an addition of 500 new beds based on Profiri&#8217;s request; however, it was rejected by the Board due to inadequate vetting processes leading to Profiri&#8217;s dismissal. Subsequently, they hired their own attorney and initiated legal action against a law granting authority over DOC matters solely to the governor rather than including board oversight.<\/p>\n<p>While not yet approved by subcommittee members, this contract will be presented before full legislative council on Friday<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2327390,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/iStock-1483489085-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[9191,14353,36155,3673,32076],"class_list":["post-2327389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-contract","tag-corrections","tag-government-accountability","tag-lawmakers","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/iStock-1483489085-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2327389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2327389"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2327389\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2327390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2327389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2327389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2327389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}