Prison Health Spending Comes Under Scrutiny
Republican lawmakers at a press conference Monday at Folsom State Prison criticized court-ordered expenditures on prison health care reform because they bypassed legislative approval, the Sacramento Bee reports (Furillo, Sacramento Bee, 2/6).
A report released last week by the Legislative Analyst's Office found that inmate health costs have tripled as a result of recent court orders by federal judges in two separate cases (California Healthline, 2/1).
Assembly Minority Leader Mike Villines (R-Fresno) at the press conference said that Robert Sillen, a court-appointed receiver for the state prison health care system, "has literally carte blanche on our budget to write checks for inmates and is not accountable to anybody."
Villines said the Legislature has a duty to oversee spending and would like the Democrats to convene hearings to discuss the matter (Schultz, Fresno Bee, 2/6).
Sen. Michael Machado (D-Stockton) on Wednesday will chair a Senate subcommittee hearing on prison health care spending and compliance with the lawsuits (Shaw, Stockton Record, 2/6).