GEO private prison bill ekes out a win in the House

H.B. 4467 passed out of the House of Representatives Thursday by a 57-53 vote.

Below are lists of how representatives voted. The first list is yeas, and the second list is nays. Click a list to enlarge it for reading.

Remember, this is the bill that would allow GEO, a private prison company, to house Level V and higher inmates at the vacant Baldwin prison. GEO owns the facility.

Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons introduced an amendment Tuesday that would have disallowed the Michigan Department of Corrections from sending Level V inmates to private prison. The amendment was unsuccessful.

GEO claims they have no plans to house Michigan inmates. But MCO is opposed to this bill because it seems like yet another back-door attempt to privatize Michigan prisons. Our legislature has taken some creative approaches to privatize prisons after conventional methods – like deciding to privatize only if it’s cost-effective – haven’t worked out.

Next, the H.B. 4467 will be assigned to a Senate committee.

We’ll keep you updated.